


No-One But You (The Never-Ending Why)

by starkyoukai



Series: No-One But You [4]
Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Doctor Strange (2016), Doctor Strange - Fandom, Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Death, F/M, Friendship, Heartbreak, Life - Freeform, Love, M/M, Magic, Multi, Romantic Tension, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Soulmates, Stony - Freeform, Tension, Threesome - M/M/M, Vishanti, capironstrange, trio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:08:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 103
Words: 114,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27270955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkyoukai/pseuds/starkyoukai
Summary: This story is the sequel to Lessons In Love, and the final story in the No-One But You series.
Relationships: Bucky Barnes/others, Clea Strange/Stephen Strange, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Steve Rogers/Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange
Series: No-One But You [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1717399
Comments: 5
Kudos: 25





	1. Love On The Brain (Part 1)

No-One But You (The Never-Ending Why)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 1: Love On The Brain (Part 1)

* * *

Date: October 29th, 1993.

Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were grocery shopping. They were standing at the checkout line, and Tony was listening to all the sounds.

He heard chatter, beeping sounds, register keys, phone calls, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Steve was speaking to the cashier, but he casually looked over at Tony’s hands.

He tapped his hands on the side of the grocery belt... thing. Steve thought that he was composing a song.

It seemed like he was doing something rhythmically with his movements.

The blonde watched Tony’s behavior as they packed up their food. The two of them started walking home. They had successfully started a relationship, and they had been living together for several months.

Tony barely left Steve’s side, because internally, that Stephen shit wrecked his soul.

Tony felt horrible about Stephen’s “disappearance”, and he wasn’t the only one. The group that witnessed him walk out on the world felt some sort of void as they went about their lives. It felt like Stephen left them hanging, or something like that.

Everyone felt that void, except for Victor Strange. The younger brother said only one comment that night. He watched Stephen leave with Clea, and he quietly told the group that he would be back.

Victor believed that, and he carried on with his life. The youngest Strange spent more and more time at the X-Mansion. He developed the abilities that he picked up in Kathmandu, and he even showed it to Donna a few times.

She thought what he showed her was ... scary.

Donna Strange got a job. She started working part time at a ritzy and unbelievably expensive clothing store. She worked there after school, and she took over her older brother’s apartment. She was very angry with Stephen for leaving, and she intended to express that to him when he returned.

His sister had all of his stuff packed up, and she shipped it all into a storage unit. She didn’t want to see his stuff, and she thought that it would teach him some sort of a lesson.

She had someone else that needed to learn a lesson. Donna Strange thought of that as she locked up the small clothing shop for the night.

Bucky Barnes was outside the store. He showed up once or twice a week, because of his “boss”. He wasn’t lying to her, but Donna preferred to think of it that way.

She put the keys to the store in her bag and she started walking away. Bucky got out of his car, and he quickly followed after the person that he was paid to check in on, and update.

Howard received updates on her brother, and he was told to give those updates to Donna. Bucky didn’t mind the job, but he felt like he had to constantly look over his shoulder.

Stephen was out there, somewhere, and apparently he wasn’t the same.

Donna kept walking, and Bucky wondered how many skirts she owned. She always wore one, and every time he saw her, she had one that was in a different color.

He always walked her home, whether she liked it or not. The two of them always had a similar conversation as they walked.

She’d say hello to him, and he’d return the cordial greeting. Donna still called him James. It threw him off every time, but he never told her to stop. They walked quietly for most of the trip, but then their conversation always became a report about her brother.

“Stephen was cornered by an older version of Steve. You remember Steve?”

“Was he the tall blonde?”

Yes. Bucky told her that her guess was correct. Her brother was cornered by the person that took over as the Sorcerer Supreme. He didn’t mention that part tho.

Bucky fixed his jacket, and he listened to her ask what “cornering” Stephen meant. Bucky hesitated, because he wasn’t sure how much to tell her. What he had to report was pretty crazy, and he had a feeling that Donna was going to freak out.

“Your brother kinda gave up his body. There is some sort of entity, thing...that took over. He’s called Agamotto.”

It was weird witchy, wizard stuff. Bucky thought what he was saying sounded insane.

“What does that even mean?”

Donna was concerned, but the things she saw Victor do made her re-think what she was hearing. They got to the garage part of the apartment complex, and Donna opened it with the code.

“All I know is, he doesn’t want to come back. That entity Agamotto is out there using his body. It said that Stephen can hear everything, but he is tired.”

?

Donna remained in one place. She looked at Bucky, and she thought about Stephen. He was so visibly upset when she saw him. He looked upset with the person named Tony, and he looked even more upset with “Bucky”.

Now, he had been gone for months.

Donna wanted to understand why that happened. She planned to ask Tony about it, and James... but she decided to wait it out. She also wanted to actually speak to CLEA as well. That person just wooshed away with her brother. All of it was aggravating, so Donna focused on other things.

“Are you hungry? Victor is cooking tonight. It should be, interesting.”

Victor was learning, but his meal combinations were sometimes a little, off. Bucky looked up at the fancy building, then he looked directly at Stephen’s sister. The would-be-soldier was always hungry. He had the same exact metabolism as Steve.

Donna invited Bucky up to the apartment every time he walked her home. She watched him mess around with his jacket, and he slowly started shaking his head no. Bucky couldn’t go up there.

“Nah, I’m just paid to keep you updated.”

“Oh right. You remind me every time.”

Donna didn’t see what the big deal was. She wasn’t asking him to marry her. The young woman was amused at first, but then his rejection settled in.

He looked very troubled, and she figured that it had something to do with Stephen. Her older brother had become an elephant in the room for everyone.

Bucky actually had some pretty uncommon words in his head. He thought about stuff like “apologizing” and “earning Stephen’s respect”. Bucky didn’t want to think about any of that, so he kept staring at the sidewalk.

They both were silent, so his eyes slowly made a trip up to her face. Donna’s shoes had a floral print. She was wearing a dark blue skirt, and a large black jacket. Bucky could see some jewelry and other whatnots around beneath her hair.

Bucky noticed that her dark hair had gotten longer. He told himself again that he couldn’t go up there, and he started heading back toward his car.

Donna watched him leave, and she just closed the large garage door behind her.

* * *

Chapter: END  
Thanks for reading.


	2. Love On The Brain (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 2: Love On The Brain (Part 2)

* * *

Steve was packing their food away in the fridge, while Tony tried to push the cereal boxes into the upper cupboard. He was on the tip of his toes, and he had his tongue stuck out a little bit.

Doing that helped him sorta concentrate on what he was doing. Tony reached up up up, and he smiled when he successfully put all the cereal and Steve’s boxes of gross oatmeal away.

He stepped back, then two very warm arms wrapped around Tony’s waist. Tony drew in a quick breath, and his mouth remained open. His face filled with a deep warmth when that blonde hugged him against his sunny body.

Steve finished putting away his portion of the groceries, and he didn’t want to let Tony do anything more.

Steve loved having Tony in his apartment. Steve liked all of it, and he told him all the time that he was grateful that he decided to stay. Tony felt very wanted there, and he enjoyed being with Steve.

It felt so easy. Tony was able to just blend into the space. Those warm hands started migrating around, and Tony had to start holding onto the kitchen counter.

Steve was clearly in a mood. He pulled Tony back toward him a little at first, but then they both started leaning forward. His mouth met the back of Tony’s neck, and one of his hands went underneath his shirt.

The two of them began to tighten up. The space between them was disappearing, and Tony closed his eyes.

They both heard a very familiar knock, and that brunette gasped out again. Friggen... shit. Tony moved his right leg, and that yummy hand was removed. Steve answered the damn door, and Tony looked back at his load of groceries.

Bucky friggen Barnes walked into the apartment. Tony heard a smile in his voice, as he asked Steve what they were doing.

OH, not much. Tony’s internal response went completely unsaid. He didn’t say anything to Bucky Wonder, and he just put away the rest of their stuff.

The two best-est of friends started up their normal small talk. Tony listened and put the empty grocery bags in the drawer. He walked into the entryway of the apartment and took in the situation.

Bucky had his jacket off, so that meant he planned on staying for a while. Tony inwardly gave a scowl, because he was greedy and he wanted Steve to continue being in his mood.

They were a very amorous couple. They desired one another all the time, and once they had their own space, everything between them just clicked together.

Bam. It was just like lightening. Bucky only showed up every now and then, so Tony did his best to chill his demeanor. Steve’s friend waltzed on in, and he said hello to Tony.

Oh. Hello. Tony gave him a smile, and a very short wave.

“Do you guys want the good news first, or the bad news?”

Uh. Tony didn’t like bad news. He looked over at the calendar that was on one of the walls. They had a busy wall that had cute notes and pictures, beside all of that was the current date.

It was Friday again. Bucky always updated them on Fridays. Tony’s face slipped into a small frown, because he always knew what the updates were about. He just let Steve run the show.

“The good news is that Agamotto seems to actually care about Stephen’s current state. He is dominating, but he keeps mentioning that his “host” needs rest.”

They heard the good news, and Steve looked contemplative. The blonde wanted to hear the bad news last, but Tony already knew what it was. He assumed it was that Stephen still didn’t want to return.

That had been the growing theme for months. Tony felt devastated about Stephen, so he could hardly pry his focus from the floor. He didn’t want to hear it anymore.

“The bad news is that Agamotto seems to really be embodying whatever it is he does with Clea in this dimension. The two of them are operating like a team, and they aren’t technically doing anything wrong.”

It was assumed that Agamotto would go on some sort of rampage whenever he achieved full control of Stephen’s body. That was the scary stories that they were told, but it wasn’t holding any water.

“Agamotto has been maintaining the dimension, and he keeps saying that Stephen is listening.”

Listening to what? The Beatles? Saaaa, Steve didn’t know what to think of that. He sat down on the couch, and the blonde let out a troubled sigh. His eyes wandered over to Tony, and he saw that sad look on his face. 

Stephen Strange was a bit of a sensitive subject. They barely spoke about him, but Steve could see how much it affected Tony. Bucky saw it as well, and he always knew that those two had a thing.

He saw their connection right away, but he wasn’t sure how far it went. That wasn’t his business, but now Tony was with Steve.

Bucky sat down on that dark blue couch, and he also started studying the look that was on Tony’s face. The shorter brunette kept staring at the floor. He looked up when he realized that it was quiet.

Bucky mentioned that Agamotto was operating “like a team” with Clea. The phrasing of that just did something to Tony’s nerves. A team huh? They probably hooked up all the time, and got married as well.

Tony gently cleared his throat, and he noticed that Bucky bumped his knee against Steve’s. He did it on purpose, and that blonde looked over in Bucky’s direction.

That playful gesture made Steve’s expression change, and Tony wondered what he started thinking. 

Steve had a look on his face, that said a lot.

“That’s all the news I’ve got. So, see ya.”

Bucky got up, and he rolled one of his shoulders around as if it was stiff. Mhhfhmmffftt. Tony gave a short exhale, and he kinda said bye. Oh BYE. Thanks for the shitty newsssss. See ya bestest friend in the whole wide world.

Tony had this inward scowl going on again, until he heard that door close. He tried to change his tune when that golden thing walked over to him, but it didn’t really work.

Tony had way too many thoughts buzzing around in his head. Steve stepped closer, and the mood he had kicked back in. One of his arms drew Tony toward him.

They gently started kissing, and Tony felt how warm Steve’s face was. Bucky’s quick gesture on the couch got Steve all rosy. Tony wasn’t stupid, and it sealed a deal for the brunette.

He let Steve kiss him, but Tony was almost ready to finally bring something up.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	3. Love On The Brain (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 3: Love On The Brain (Part 3)

* * *

  
Tony and Steve were still doing Steve’s favorite thing. It was called “necking” when he was growing up. He was touching and kissing Tony, while the brunette smiled against his lips.

The thought that he had about Steve’s warmth kept nagging, so Tony slowly dropped his smile. He pulled out of their kiss, before it got too heated between them.

Steve noticed the change in Tony’s demeanor. He asked him what was up, and the blonde tried to kiss him again. He succeeded for a short while, but Tony started looking in the direction of SOMEONE’s apartment.

Bucky Wonder was always on his secret shit-list, Tony just finally had the courage to really figure out why. He wrapped his arms around Steve’s beautiful neck.

He looked up at his beautiful face, and Tony stared into those diamond eyes.

“What’s happened between you and Bucky? I’ve never gotten a single detail about the two of you.”

No information was given at any point in time. Nope. Steve only confessed that he “didn’t” love Bucky in a letter. Tony had no idea if they really were just friends, if they hooked up, or how long they had been dancing around the subject.

It was time to clear all of that up. Tony was very calm as he asked his question, and he held a gentle smile on his face. Steve looked startled by the question. His eyes were enormous, and his face started getting red.

“What happened?”

“Yup. What happened.”

Tony kept hugging his arms around Steve’s neck. The two of them were standing in the middle of the living room, and Steve sucked in a deep breath.

Well, a ton of stuff happened. Steve wasn’t sure where to begin. He wasn’t sure what to even say. Bucky gave him advice on what information to share with Tony.

Bucky actually told him that what happened between them was “none of Tony’s business”, but Steve didn’t technically agree. He wanted to be in a relationship with Tony, so the would-be-soldier felt like that required some transparency.

He was taking too long to answer, so the calm look on Tony’s face began to slip.

“That.. well, what exactly do you want to know? How we met? Or..”

Their entire history? Steve’s heart started beating pretty quickly. He wanted to be honest, but the thought of that was pretty scary.

Tony didn’t care how they met. The adorable paper boy lifestyle from the 1930s didn’t appeal to him. Nope, Tony wanted to know something that was much more important. He wanted to know if they _fucked_.

Tony was about to get very blunt about it, but he knew that Steve was doing his best. He knew that the blonde he looked at was very honest, sincere, and completely caught off guard.

“When you and I first hooked up, you said you liked it, and it felt different. Different compared to, what?”

Tony always wondered what Steve meant by that, and he watched the baby-soldier-boy’s jaw drop down to his chest. Steve wasn’t prepared for that at all. He slowly swallowed, and Tony felt him take a little side step.

Different compared to the way he “hooked up” with Bucky. Steve thought of that, but he wasn’t sure how to articulate it to Tony. He kept searching his mind for the words, and Tony’s mouth started slipping open.

For real? Steve was speechless. Tony was about to pop off. His young heart and body was heating up.

“Bucky was very intense. I didn’t expect it to happen, but we kissed before I was brought to this time. I kissed him, back when I could get drunk.”

Steve confessed way too many things at once. He just spoke blindly, and what he said was the result. Tony blinked several times, and he loosened that embrace around Steve’s neck.

“You two hooked up before we met? Before the serum?”

Tony wasn’t sure if he completely understood what was said. If they did hook up back in the 1930s, that explained the fire alarm thing. Tony wanted to really understand where everyone was at, so he waited for Steve to find his words.

He looked very flustered.. Tony stared at his rosy cheeks, as the would-be-soldier corrected his confession.

“No, I kissed him before coming here. Bucky told me that he was only interested in women, but then he later explained that he was lying.”

Lying? Ok, Tony started nodding his head. Bucky would have been a total idiot not to have felt something for Steve Rogers, so Tony sorta gave him a pass on the “lying”.

The brunette wasn’t completely convinced that Bucky wasn’t an idiot, however, so he kept his cool and listened for some more info.

“He told me that he lied after the fire alarm, thing. I confronted him about that.. and then.. we.”

Steve felt an inward panic going on.. He kinda freaked out, and his big heart started going crazy. WHOA. Tony registered what was said, and he stepped back from Steve. He took two steps back and a million different light bulbs started lighting up.

He was under the impression that all of his lovey-dovey Bucky crap happened BEFORE the fire alarm. Tony really thought that the two of them would have “hooked up” at the X-Mansion. They shared a room, so why not?

By Steve’s confession, Tony figured that they would have interacted like that at the Kamar taj. Tony’s mouth was still hanging open. Say what now? Come again?

“I was with Bucky when we first started training. It happened so fast, and then all that stuff between Bucky and Stephen kept escalating. Bucky was gone shortly after.”

Steve allowed the distance between him and Tony. He wasn’t sure how he was going to take his confession. Honesty was his best policy, so the blonde just told him the truth.

Tony remembered how distant Steve was with him after that fire alarm SHIT. He also felt like an idiot when he kept trying to talk to Steve. Tony hated that, and he remembered the behavior of the entire group. Escalating? His mind started re-tracing his steps.

Tony’s mind settled on something. He remembered the timeframe that Steve had described. Something very peculiar happened to Tony that night..

The brunette remembered exactly what happened, and Steve noticed a very terrified look develop on Tony’s face.

“He knew. Wow, he knew that you two..”

Holy shit. Tony actually covered his mouth. Stephen Strange’s behavior was so crystal clear in that moment. Tony remembered him knocking on his door.

While Bucky and Steve were shacking up in Kathmandu, Stephentold Tony that he made him feel happy. He even said that Tony didn’t have to be alone.

Tony didn’t hear him at all. Then the next day, Stephen had Bucky floating up toward the moon. His anger had escalated, and it seemed like he was either going to kill or hurt Bucky. Everything changed after that night.

“Who knew what?”

Steve started getting confused. The blonde studied Tony’s expression, and it was clear that the conversation had taken an unexpected turn.

Tony glanced up at Steve’s confused looking face, and the brunette gave a soft sigh. Everything felt pretty fucked up in that moment, so Tony looked at the apartment door.

“We all need to get on the same exact page, right now. Let’s go.”

Tony huffed, and he started walking toward Bucky Wonder’s apartment. He marched on over, because he was done with Bucky’s wishy-washy fire alarm bullshit.

Steve was in a very confused state of mind. WHO. KNEW. WHAT?  


The blonde sparked back to life when Tony started heading toward Bucky’s place. Steve quickly followed after Tony, and he shrieked very loudly when that unruly brunette started roughly banging his fist on Bucky’s front door.

The situation was pretty unexpected, so Steve was kinda freaking out.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	4. Love On The Brain (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 4: Love On The Brain (Part 4)

* * *

“OPEN UP JACKASS.”

Tony kept knocking loudly. Bucky took his time, but he eventually ripped open his apartment door. The two fiery brunettes were finally standing toe-to-toe.

Steve was freaking out. He brought his hands up to his eyes for a sec, then he gently gripped at his own hair. Bucky glared at Tony, while Tony glared right back up at him.

The not-so-winter-soldier glanced over at Steve, and then he stared down at the unruly brunette.

“...”

That was Bucky’s reaction, and the only words that he had for Tony. That behavior aggravated the shorter brunette, but he contemplated what to say.

Tony was trying to accomplish two things. First, he wanted the situation between Bucky and Steve to be crystal clear.

Second, he wanted to really figure out what happened with Stephen. His father told him that he wasn’t listening to him. That comment was beginning to hold some truth, but he thought that the two BEST BUDS were also to blame.

Steve slowly crossed the hallway. He walked into Bucky’s apartment, so the two of them would get away from the stairs. Steve thought about the neighbors, but he knew that the two brunettes didn’t care.

Tony followed after Steve, and Bucky gave an exhausted sigh. He closed the door, and maintained his glare. Tony decided to skip the bullshit, and he spoke directly to Mr. Fire-alarm.

“Bucky, do you want Steve? Yes, or no?”

It was simple, really. Tony crossed his arms and he waited for that jerk to speak. Steve glanced around the apartment. All the beer cans and beer bottles were gone.

Bucky cleaned up? Steve wondered why. The would-be-winter-soldier rolled his eyes. Did he want Steve? The taller brunette looked over at his friend.

“Do I want him romantically? Physically? What are you really asking me?”

Bucky decided to get specific. Tony didn’t mind that. In fact, he preferred the cold hard facts. The brunette took a step in Bucky’s direction, and his voice strengthened.

“Take your pick. You lied to him about wanting to only be with women. So, what’s up? Do you want Steve, yes or no?”

Tony had all the time in the world to get his response. Steve focused on what was happening, and he started feeling better about the subject. He figured that Tony’s blunt behavior would get him some answers as well. Steve thought of that, as Bucky decided on his answer.

“I prefer women physically, and romantically. Steve was a special exception.”

Bucky wasn’t attracted to men, and he didn’t really get along with men either. He understood that he was attracted to Steve’s personality, and possibly his soul. The would-be-winter-soldier could not see himself in a relationship with Steve, and he thought that he made that clear.

OK. Tony heard that, and he looked over at Steve. Was the conversation over? Not by a long shot. Tony turned back to Bucky Wonder, and he continued the conversation.

“Steve “was” an exception. That exception is over now, correct?”

They needed crystal clear communication, people. Tony wasn’t joking around. They all lived under one roof. Tony intended to have territories mapped out, and boundaries established. Bucky sorta laughed at what he heard. He was beyond being over Tony’s crap.

“HEY. If you don’t want Steve, then you can’t just waltz into our space and start pulling your shit. I’m calling you out.”

Tony saw what he did on the couch. That small gesture did something to Steve, and that behavior was not ok. It felt like a mixed signal, and Tony didn’t like it. Bucky was actually shocked.

He brought his arms up, and crossed them. He thought that Steve’s unruly brunette was really out for blood.

“If you do want Steve, then say it. We’re together, so I don’t mind working through this. I just need to know what you both want.”

There. Tony finished his rant. Bucky thought over what was said, and he glanced at the quiet blonde. Steve didn’t look as freaked out as before. Bucky knew that his behavior confused Steve.

It even upset him, but the would-be-soldier didn’t have any interest in being involved with their relationship. In his mind, it felt like Tony was trying to get himself a pass.

Bucky turned his head to the side. He read between the lines a little, and decided to go for blood as well.

“So, wait. Do you want Stephen? Yes, or no?”

Are we just forgetting all about Tony’s thing that he had with Stephen Strange? The taller brunette had a very sarcastic grin. He knew that Tony had feelings for the would-be-sorcerer-supreme, so it was his turn to call Tony out. Turnaround was fair play.

Tony was going to ask Steve if he needed anymore clarification about Bucky’s bullshit. That cocky “best friend” threw a curveball, and Tony failed to dodge it.

He became very silent, and Bucky’s smile got wider. He flipped his focus over to Steve, and he decided to dominate the chat.

“Steve, does he want Stephen? Yes or no?”

Did Steve even really know? That was the ultimate question coming from Bucky. The blonde was still pretty silent. The elephant in every room had been mentioned, and a few questions kept showing up in Steve’s mind.

What happened with Stephen? That was the first question, but the soldier-in-training always failed to ask.

“If you’re gonna try and put Steve Rogers on the chopping block, I suggest you clear out your own bullshit first.”

In Bucky’s mind, Steve did nothing wrong, and he didn’t deserve Tony’s crap. Bucky knew that he personally deserved the conversation, but he didn’t think that Steve needed to be involved.

Maybe he was wrong? Who knew...

Tony was still very quiet, and his behavior had changed. He kinda didn’t expect Bucky to flip the table, and he really didn’t want to think about Stephen.

“I think, you want us to conveniently “work out” whatever was going on between me and Steve, just so you can get a pass on whatever you’ve got going on with Stephen. That’s what this is all about.”

Bucky. Saw. Through. It. Like. You. Wouldn’t. Believe. He really was the self-proclaimed heartbreaker, so he decided to call a spade a spade.

He figured that Tony was in love with Stephen, and the unruly brunette had no idea what to do. Bucky really wanted to expose him, and get down to the truth of it for Steve.

Because that’s what friends friggen do.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	5. Love On The Brain (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 5: Love On The Brain (Part 5) 

* * *

  
Tony thought that his hands were going to melt. He clenched them up for a sec, and then he slowly cleared his throat.

Bucky officially jumped his shit, and Tony was not prepared. He had been inwardly struggling with Stephen Strange. That was the current status of their situation.

His father warned him that he wasn’t listening to Stephen, and that he wasn’t looking at Steve. Tony had wrestled over what he wanted for a very long time, but he just didn’t expect BUCKY to call him out.

Tony looked at Steve’s friend. He had an answer for him, but he wasn’t sure how it would pan out. His answer was something that he discussed with his older self, and something that he was very serious about.

“I love them both.”

Tony had never told Steve that he loved him, but he came to that realization in Kathmandu. He never said it to Stephen either, but Tony knew what he felt.

His older self told him that the host of Hoggoth had a secret curse, or an unforeseen responsibility in the trio. Steve and Stephen weren’t aware of it, so Tony started staring at Bucky’s shoe.

“Wow. You love them both, ok. How does Steve feel about that?”

Bucky thought Tony’s response was ridiculous. He did not think that Steve would be down with that. He figured that he wanted Tony all for himself. Bucky looked over at the golden soldier-in-training, as Tony kept contemplating what he said.

Steve had his arms loosely crossed. He knew that Tony had some pretty deep feelings for him, and Stephen. But in his mind, what Tony said wasn’t exactly“normal”. Steve didn’t really feel like anything between them fit that definition either, so he kept watching Tony’s behavior. Steve quickly glanced over at his friend.

“There are some things about Stephen that confuses me. You said that you needed to let me go, for him, and I’m not really sure why.”

Steve spoke up. Bucky made it easier for him, and the taller brunette was LIVING for what was unfolding. Tony just stood there, but he turned his head toward Steve’s voice. He looked at the person he had been living with for months, and he saw that he was confused.

Steve was under the impression that Stephen was always in a bad mental state, so Tony was trying to bring him out of it. So, he was “let go” in the process. Turns out, he wasn’t let go of at all, and now Stephen was gone.

Bucky seriously wanted popcorn. He was so happy to see what was happening in his apartment. Call him cruel, but it was a very special moment for the taller brunette.

“I told you that you both wanted the same exact thing. Stephen wanted to date me, I needed more time.”

That’s what that was about. He gave Steve time to figure his SHIT out with Bucky, and in exchange, Tony decided to see how it went with Stephen. That was the arrangement that they discussed in Kathmandu.

Tony figured that Steve forgot about that, and that was fine. Tony moved on. 

“More time, for what? What exactly happened? Stephen’s behavior has always been a mystery to me, and your connection with him as well.”

He watched the two of them kiss when they all were trapped in the mirror sphere of doom. Tony was kissing both of them, and Steve really went with it.

He wasn’t going to answer whether or not he was “ok” with Tony loving them both, until he knew everything about that. They all really did need to get on one page.

“Plus, Stephen left with Clea. How would..”

Steve just couldn’t imagine it. He was trying to imagine scenarios involving all of them, and it just baffled his hopeless-romantic brain.Tony tensed up a little when he heard “Clea”, and both of the Super Friends saw it.

Hearing her name was like a cold stab to the chest. Tony took a slow breath in, then a slow breath out. He thought about how to answer, because in that moment he felt like what he felt was insane.

Steve and Bucky were looking at him like he was crazy or something, and Tony started feeling nervous. He felt very nervous, and they both watched him mess around with his hands.

“I don’t know how to tell you.”

Tony was realizing how complicated it was. What happened with Stephen developed into something that gave Tony some serious anxiety. They were together in the motel, then he had Steve in his room, then he had Stephen back over... and then he was told about his sister.

Stephen said that he held her beneath the water. And now she was alive, and Stephen was gone.

Tony kept messing with the skin on his hands, and he kinda glared at Bucky. What he had “going on” with Stephen was clearly beyond his level of comprehension.

Tony settled on that, and he kept looking down at his hands. His relationship with Steve and Stephen went far beyond grocery shopping, and flirty gestures.

Tony felt like he was the only person in the scenario that understood that, but he wasn’t able to talk it out. He needed to go. Bucky’s face was bothering him, and he couldn’t really look at Steve.

“I’ll try to tell you soon. I’m still trying to understand it myself.”

Tony didn’t know how to express it. He really needed to do something with his hands, so the younger brunette left the apartment. He went back over to Steve’s and he went into the spare room that had become his “tinkering” space.

Tony had a bunch of gizmos in there, and he put his nervous hands to work.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	6. Rhinestone Eyes (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 6:Rhinestone Eyes (Part 1)

* * *

  
Agamotto was enjoying everything about being in control of Stephen’s body. At first he was damaging it, and aging him almost to death.

The unpredictable member of the Vishanti trio corrected that issue, and he understood how to properly fluctuate his energy within Stephen.

His host was listening to everything around them. Because Stephen was being controlled by Agamotto, his perception, and his information intake had expanded.

He was currently in a protected part of the Dark Dimension with Clea, and the two of them were speaking with her father.

His name was Orini, and being in the presence of Agamotto was a pretty big deal for his people. They were trying pay him all sort of respects with a massive gathering, but the entity was un-responsive to it.

He was more curious about an ongoing issue that kept occurring in the Dark Dimension, and adapting to Stephen’s body.

He made a deal with the substitute Sorcerer Supreme that existed in a different dimension. It was an older version of Steve Rogers, and he expertly channeled Oshtur.

He had the ability to separate an entity from its host, so Agamotto agreed to behave. He promised to teach Stephen his abilities while he was dormant.

Baby Stephen was somewhat responsive to Agamotto, and cleaning up the Dark Dimension was part of the bargain. It also gave Agamotto the opportunity to interact with Clea.

He was very infatuated with her, and that desire was immediately returned. Clea started physically interacting with Agamotto right away, and the younger Stephen was technically along for the ride.

He still felt very lost, and he had his own agenda when it came to Agamotto. The entity was responsible for the death of his sister, and Stephen wanted him to understand that.

It felt like a useless battle. Agamotto just pranced his superiority, and effortlessly corrected Dark Dimension mishaps. Stephen couldn’t get through to him, so he remained in an inoperative state.

~~~—-~~~

Tony, Steve, and Bucky were totally unaware about Stephen’s struggle. They were still caught up in the concept of Tony claiming to love two people at once. It just didn’t resonate with the two of them.

Bucky often had multiple sexual partners at once, but he wasn’t in love with any of them. No thanks. He cringed at the thought as Steve remained in his apartment.

The two friends needed to keep chatting about the discussion. It was an odd one for the two of them. They were sitting at his small table by the window, and Bucky was enjoying a cigarette.

“I can actually see the table now. This is great.”

Steve wondered what sparked the change. The comment about his place made Bucky form a small grin. He usually had the entire place covered in beer cans and empty bottles. It looked like a giant ashtray all the time, and Steve often gave him shit for it.

He even had women in there on occasion. Steve assumed that the women didn’t stick around. They went there for one reason only. It completely baffled Steve, but Bucky never cared.

He felt like clearing it out the other day, and he didn’t want to explain why. Bucky sat up in his chair and he stared outside the window. It started raining, and Bucky gave a small sigh.

He started thinking about a certain “fish out of water” that he walked home several nights a week.

A fish out of water was a person that was outside his or her normal environment. Donna Strange was a woman that wore skirts in October, on a busy and dangerous New York sidewalk.

Bucky figured she’d either get assaulted by some creep, or catch pneumonia. He also couldn’t believe that Stephen ditched his younger siblings like that. He didn’t care how insane he was...

Steve noticed that Bucky kinda disappeared on him. He looked around the space again, and a curiosity started flaring up. It felt like Bucky was cleaning up, for someone.

His hair was even cut. Steve almost asked why, but he didn’t do it.

The blonde slowly stood up, and he told Bucky that he needed to talk to Tony.

Uh, yeah. That was a given. Bucky rocked back in his chair, and he snapped back into the room when he heard Steve. He did not want to be involved with that conversation any longer.

Bucky was happy to call Tony out on his shit, but the rest of that chat was on Steve.

“Good luck with that one.”

Bucky went back to staring out the window. His mind was on a few things, and he barely heard Steve leave the apartment. Steve put a pin on Bucky’s behavior. He crossed the hall, and headed into his apartment.

He saw a light coming from the room that Tony was in. Steve walked toward it and he gently knocked. Tony was sitting at the work desk. He knew that Steve was there, but he didn’t say a single word.

Steve slowly opened the door, and he immediately saw Tony’s posture. He was deeply immersed in whatever was in front of him, and he looked very sad.

Steve walked over toward him, and he crouched down by his chair. He studied Tony’s face, and he tried to turn his legs.

Tony was making a translucent glove that had glowing buttons. They sorta looked like piano keys by the finger tips. Steve stared at what he was working on.

“I didn’t want to tell you, like that.”

Tony spoke quietly, and he finally looked at Steve. He didn’t intend to be forced into a love confession. Tony genuinely just wanted to get Bucky to either stop messing with Steve’s feelings, or admit if he wanted him.

Tony wanted clarity, and everything backfired. The baby brunette felt very misunderstood, but he could see why it all happened.

Steve kept looking at Tony’s sad expression. He managed to bring one of Tony’s legs around his waist. He moved him how he wanted, and Steve focused on what Tony said.

“How would you tell me, if you told me?”

The blonde had a small smile. He gave Tony a little riddle to process. The brunette playfully rolled his eyes at Steve, and he stopped messing around with the translucent glove.

He turned a little more in the chair. Tony looked at Steve Rogers, and it felt like his heart soaked up all the weight that was swimming around his bones. Steve moved his other leg, and he comfortably perched himself between the two of them.

Tony slowly fixed one of the sleeves on that perfectly pressed shirt, and he started chewing on his bottom lip. Tony’s anxiety started picking up again, and a thin layer of warmth spread all over his face.

Steve kept looking at him, and it felt like he was closer. Tony couldn’t tell if he moved or whut, but that blonde had Tony burning up. Steve was literally on his knees, and gently pressed between Tony’s legs.

It made the brunette’s heart go all haywire. He messed up and re-fixed that shirt sleeve thirty million times. How would he tell him?

“I would, look at you. I’d look, and I’d say..”

Umahhaa, Tony looked at Steve’s face. The blonde was pretty close, and Tony brought one of his hands up to that sunshine skin. He slowly touched the left side of it, and his young heart nearly exploded.

He stared at his lips. Tony looked at his eyes, his perfect nose, and even some sort of mark that was on his chin. It could have been a small scar. He figured that it had to have been there before the serum. Tony gently brought his thumb over it, and he tried his confession again.

“I would tell you that.. I’m happy here. I feel very loved by you.”

Tony started getting very warm. Too warm. He squirmed a little against Steve’s embrace. His anxiety was dominating, and Steve eased back.The would-be-soldier was happy to hear what Tony said.

He wanted him to feel at home there with him. That confession really made his day. But, Steve needed to understand something. He needed to understand it right there in that moment.

“Are you also telling me that you can look directly at Stephen, and feel the same exact thing?”

Could a person truly love two people? That was something that Steve Rogers needed to comprehend. He put some distance between them, so Tony wasn’t as nervous or overwhelmed.

But, Steve’s question had Tony really burning up. That brunette was as rosy and as nervous as he could possibly be. Tony was afraid that Steve would get upset. The conversation with Bucky had him really freaked out.

He looked a little horrified as he stared at Steve. Tony was quiet for a while, then he decided to just confess. He closed his eyes and he started nodding his head, yes. Tony had already looked Stephen in the face, and he already knew that he felt the exact same thing.

He didn’t tell either of them, but he felt that way all the time. Steve kept looking up at Tony, and he contemplated the discussion. The blonde remained quiet for a long while.

Tony looked back at his little project. He didn’t know what Steve planned to do with what he admitted, but there weren’t any take backs on that one.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	7. Rhinestone Eyes (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 7:Rhinestone Eyes (Part 2)

* * *

There was so much more that needed to be said. Tony needed to finish his thought, first off, and second he needed to tell Steve about the “unforeseen responsibility” of Hoggoth.

His Vishanti entity had a secret role in the group. Tony’s older self lived by it, and it resonated with the younger one as well. He started tinkering with the glove again. He picked at it with his left hand, because the other one was messing around with Steve’s shoulder.

The blonde was still in the same exact place. He wanted to do two things at once, and he was a bit unsure how to proceed.

Steve wanted to keep going with the mood he was in, and he moved upward toward Tony a few times. He also wanted to go somewhere else and think.

The would-be-soldier was very indecisive on how to give Tony what he clearly wanted. None of them knew where Stephen was in the situation, and Steve wanted to know everything.

He had no idea what happened between them. Tony only mentioned that he felt like a liar, and that was it.

“I would tell you that I loved you, sometime in the morning. I imagined telling you when were leaving to run.”

Or ...something like that. Bucky ruined it, and Tony was bitter about that. He finally completed his thought, and he kept staring at stuff.

Steve imagined something similar. He felt happiest with Tony when they were relaxed and in bed. It felt warm and ..

Steve interrupted his own thought. He hadn’t told Tony that he loved him at that point either, but Steve knew what he felt. The details like that were important for the would-be-soldier, because he was a hopeless romantic. He was trying to understand what Tony felt, so he had to ask him another question.

“How would you tell Stephen, if you told him?”

The blonde felt like he was being horrible, but he really needed to know. Tony moved beneath his arms. Steve felt him take in a deeper breath. How would he tell Stephen?

“I would..”

Tony stopped fussing with the glove and he looked directly at Steve. He moved his legs for a bit, and he rubbed on those strong shoulders. The brunette started thinking about a few conversations that he had with Stephen.

He remembered some at the X-Mansion, some at the Kamar taj, and the others that he had with him in his car. One element in the conversations kept popping up. Tony sucked in a deep breath, and he settled on an answer.

“I’d tell him when he was getting one of his giant books, or when he tossed one aside.”

Tony spent a ton of time with Stephen, and the younger would-be-sorcerer-supreme was always reading.

All of that changed. Now, Stephen didn’t read at all, and it seemed like he was just in a pit of despair. Tony got pretty emotional when he thought of that. Steve could see where the subject took him, and that was exactly what the blonde wanted to get to.

He wanted to know what happened between them, but he didn’t want to get Tony anymore upset.

~~~—-~~~

Victor Strange was at home. He was in his bedroom, but he had his furniture shifted around so he had more space on the floor.

The younger Strange had a symbol drawn out on the floor, and an open notebook. Donna was cleaning up after dinner.

Victor cooked a weird meal, but she was used to that at that point. She thought about the person that she invited to dinner.

He declined, like always, because he was “only paid to give her an update on her brother”. Donna wasn’t sure if that person knew how RUDE his statement was.

She tossed away some gathered trash, and tried to clear him out of her head. The truth was, Donna Strange had developed a bit of a crush on Bucky. She called him James, and she slowly started thinking that he was very handsome. He walked her home all the time, but Stephen’s behavior toward him was a red flag.

Stephen didn’t just get upset with people. He was clearly crossed in some way, and those details were important to her.

Victor called out to Donna. He said that he was finished with something, and she immediately fixed her spaced out look.

She was a little warm, so she rubbed one side of her face and she headed in his direction. Victor showed her the giant symbol in his bedroom. It looked creepy, and like one of those satanic symbols that were in scary movies.

Donna did not like what she saw at all. She asked him to explain what in the actual hell it was.

“I’m opening a connection to Stephen. We can talk to him. Come, sit down.”

Uhhhhh, excuse me? Donna was officially freaked. All the scene needed were creepy candles and spiders. She stared at her younger brother. He was serious about what he was doing, and the younger Strange’s abilities had greatly improved.

Victor never stopped learning the Mystic Arts. The symbol was not satanic at all. He developed his skills at the X-Mansion during the week, and he exercised them in his room when he was at home.

He was ready to talk to his older brother, and ready to really introduce Donna to realm of mystic.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	8. Rhinestone Eyes (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 8: Rhinestone Eyes (Part 3)

* * *

The elaborate and unnecessary gathering around Agamotto subsided, and the entity was able to communicate with Clea’s father. She watched Stephen’s body talk with Orini, and she understood that there were two souls within it.

When she brought Stephen to the Dark Dimension, he was still himself. She touched his skin, and the two of them spent a good amount of time kissing, and exploring what her hands made him feel.

When their behavior picked up, Agamotto took over Stephen’s mental state. He overpowered the sorcerer-in-training, and he let Clea know immediately.

Agamotto let her know that he was “fascinated” with her, and that fascination was repeated in millions of other timelines and dimensions. She didn’t know what to think at first, but the entity encouraged the actions that she had already started with Stephen. Agamotto took it even further.

Clea was very drawn in. She was intimate with Agamotto, and it felt like it was with Stephen at the same time. Clea wasn’t confused about what she did. She understood that Stephen and Agamotto were destined to harmonize.

It was always meant to be, and she didn’t want to resist either of them. Now, she watched the discussion between Agamotto and her father. Clea reflected in that moment, and she studied the clothing that covered Stephen’s skin. Her focus settled on the straps that covered his arms.

He was wearing the dark blue garments that the older Stephen always wore. He did not have his cloak or amulet, but the rest of the “costume” found its way to Stephen..

Agamotto preferred the dark blue. He knew what his host would be wearing in the future, so he formed it over his casual clothes.

The entity intended to clear out a large amount of “nests” that were scattered about the dimension. Clea’s mother and uncle were storing countless amounts of souls in those nests, and stealing their energy.

Clea was one of the souls that was trapped in a nest. Part of her mission as the ruler was to clear all of them out. She wanted to do it on a personal level as well, and they moved onto the task after the deliberation was complete.

~~~—-~~~

Victor and Donna were holding hands. They were sitting on the floor, and Donna kept looking down at the symbol.

She was expecting the entire room to light up, or for the bed and chair to start floating.

“Focus, Donna..I almost saw him.”

Victor went back to mumbling. He was saying something in a different language. Donna almost told him to SHUT UP, but she didn’t. She stared at her younger brother, as part of his hair fell down toward his face.

They both had dark hair, just like Stephen. He looked a little more like their mother in that moment, but Donna noticed that Victor was growing up.

He was almost sixteen, and she thought about a potential birthday for him. Donna smiled, but Victor suddenly raised his voice.

“SISTER, you’re not focusing. I’m serious, and I got really close to him this time. Please shush.”

He pointed at her head. Victor could hear her, but he didn’t do that all the time. He focused all of his energy toward reaching Stephen. She thought everything she was seeing was insane.

The older sister took his hand again and she thought about shoving that stupid brat through the wall. WHATEVER VICTOR. The two of them had a stare glare going on, but eventually her face softened.

She gripped his hand, and closed her eyes. Donna exhaled, and she finally tried to listen to the mumbled jumbo that he was saying. Victor just kept going, and the words just rolled around in Donna’s mind.

At first it was just a mash of words. She listened more, and the mash became a little more structured. She started noticing when a word would start, then stop. She could even tell when they would begin or end.

Donna clearly heard a full sentence, and a familiar feeling began to surface. The middle child felt like she had heard it before, and she took in a few slow breaths.

Agamotto was in a pocket dimension. He cleared out all the souls and set them free. Stephen was present within him, and glad to witness what his entity was doing.

He only associated Agamotto with death. Stephen was never sure if he wanted to be connected to him, but some doubt about that was swimming in his head. If Agamotto did good things, Stephen felt a little more willing to accept him.

Agamotto wasn’t acknowledging Stephen’s thoughts at all. His mind was pointed outward in that moment, and he was hunting for more pockets.

They all felt a presence. Clea even felt it, and she stepped around Agamotto so she could see.

Donna and Victor cut through the dimension. They slipped from one realm to the next, but their bodies remained on the floor in the bedroom.

Victor immediately saw Stephen. His smile was enormous, but the entity did not alter his expression. He felt his host move his arm. Stephen could see them as well, and he wanted to tell them that it probably wasn’t safe.

The older brother saw his siblings. Stephen got very emotional inside his own skin, but Agamotto was the one in control.

“Stephen! I figured out how to find you. You should come back now, Ok? I really miss you.”

Victor needed Stephen around. He missed him everyday, and he wanted his brother back. Clea was the one that smiled at Victor. She remembered him from the Kamar taj, and she thought that he was very sweet.

That smile almost faded when she looked over at Donna. Donna Strange didn’t look as happy or as eager to see Stephen as Victor. She actually looked frightened, and she couldn’t stop staring at Stephen’s body.

Victor finally noticed her silence. He looked up at Donna. She seemed a bit frantic, and frozen.

Stephen had a very bad feeling. He made an attempt to take over his own skin, but it didn’t work. Agamotto kept staring at Donna. He took one step in her direction, and the fear within her immediately strengthened.

“That..”

Donna knew who it was. She kept staring at her older brother, but she knew that he was not himself. Bucky told her as much when he walked her home, but all of that suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks.

“That’s not Stephen.”

It was someone that she encountered several times. Donna and Agamotto had met a few times as she was growing up. They met through Stephen, and remembering that caused Donna to have a fast rush of anxiety.

Donna started freaking out, while Agamotto maintained a small smile. Donna determined that it wasn’t safe, so she forced her hands backward. What she did was reactive, and it sent her and Victor back into their bodies.

It felt like they crash landed into their own skin. Donna struggled to breathe when she returned. It felt like she was drowning in her own skin. A fear took over her, and she needed to leave the room.

Victor was pissed. He didn’t understand what happened at all. He jumped up off the floor, and rushed to confront his sister. The younger Strange wanted to know how she knew what to do.

He started questioning her immediately, and yelling at her for closing the door to Stephen. Meanwhile, Donna tried to catch her breath. 

She was about to cry. The young woman smacked her stupid brother instead, and told him to shut off all that NOISE. Donna needed to think, and process exactly who she really saw in the dark.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	9. Rhinestone Eyes (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 9: Rhinestone Eyes (Part 4)

* * *

Steve needed to take a walk. He ended up running for a long time, because he really needed to head out and think about everything that Tony told him.

The Stephen thing was a lot for him to consider. The would-be-soldier still wasn’t sure how a person could love two people.

He had feelings for Bucky, and he acted on them. But, those feelings weren’t returned in a romantic way, so Steve moved on. He didn’t love Bucky and Tony at the same time.

He tried to imagine it, and loud arguments were the only thing that came to his mind. Those two did not mix well at all, noooooo way.

Steve stopped running, and he stretched up one of his arms. He saw that Stark building, and a thought crossed his mind. Several thoughts about his situation kept coming back to his mind, so the blonde decided to give his employer a call. Steve tapped the center of his chest several times, and he activated his secret suit.

“B.L.O.N.D.I.E? Can you please call Howard Stark for me?”

He spoke to his tech, and he heard it all activate. Steve started making a few plans, and that meant he needed to ask about a job. Howard paid him a few times to work for an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.  


Steve enjoyed the work.

He only took on small jobs, because he didn’t want to stay away from Tony for too long. The call was answered, but it didn’t sound like Howard was in his office or home. Steve greeted him, but other sounds overpowered his voice.

It actually sounded like Howard was in a tunnel. Steve focused on the call, as Howard loudly spoke back to him.

“What’s up Steve? Speak up.”

“I was wondering if you had a job for me?”

“A what?”

“A job, some sort of work? I need to do some things, and I think it’s going to be a lot of money.”

Steve was speaking pretty loudly. He looked up at the people walking by, and he tried to keep his voice down. It was late at night, and he didn’t have a telephone anywhere.

It looked like he was talking to himself, because his screen could only be seen him.

“You’ve got something in my office that I’ve been meaning to give you. Go pick it up, and I’ll get back to you and Bucky about a job.”

Howard hung up the line. He was busy, so Steve didn’t take any of it to heart. His screen disappeared, and he looked back over at the giant Stark tower. Steve wondered what Howard left for him, so he headed toward it right away.

~~~—-~~~  
  


Tony remained in the apartment. He was working on the translucent glove. The design work on it was complete, and he was almost done with its construction.

Tony tinkered with it for about an hour, and then he pulled the entire structure of the finished glove in half. The nano-tech filled in what was missing, and Tony officially had two gloves to play with.

They centered over his hands, and he started moving his fingers. Every time he moved them, a musical note softly played. Tony was on the verge of turning his entire body into an instrument. 

He was just trying it out, and it made him feel better about Steve and Stephen. He was taught to play the piano as he grew up, and music was in his soul. Tony decided to use his technology to express how he really felt.

Tony was pretty depressed. He was almost in tears as he moved his hands around. He really didn’t want to do anything else. He thought the gloves were beautiful, and he started designing the rest of the suit.

The concept behind his design was old-school “one man band” meets kick ass tech. He smiled at the thought of that, and he kept fine tuning the details.

~~~—-~~~  
  


Steve arrived at the Stark tower. He greeted the man at the bottom floor, and the man gave him a pleasant smile. Steve was granted access to Howard’s floor, so he went straight to the elevator.

Obviously, Howard wasn’t going to be there, but Steve didn’t feel bad about heading into his office.

He was pretty comfortable with Tony’s father. Steve actually interacted with him more than Tony did. Steve didn’t think about that, and he just walked into the large room.

Howard had a bunch of things on his desk. It was organized, so Steve could see what was left for him right away. It was an envelope addressed to Captain Steven Grant Rogers.

He stared at the military insignia on the envelope for a short while, and then he slowly turned it over. The letter was from the United States Military, and the envelope felt like it was sorta old.

Steve swallowed the nervous feeling in his stomach, then he started opening what was addressed specifically to him.

His older self served in the military, not him. And the actual version of him in that dimension was killed while he was frozen in the ocean. Steve wasn’t technically a “Captain” of anything.

He just wore the suit, and had a growing curiosity about what it meant. Steve started reading a letter from the army. It informed him that he was owed almost five million dollars after all his years of unpaid service.

Five million dollars? Was that like Tony? He remembered that he called himself a “billionaire”, or something. Steve looked at the paper again. He was confused about the amount. The blonde even saw a paper check.

He had received a few of those before, from Howard, but the checks that he got only had four zeros after the amount.

The check he currently looked at had six different zeros. Steve had never seen that amount of money before. He really didn’t know what it meant. Steve tapped the center of his chest several times.

“B.L.O.N.D.I.E? Can you please call Howard Stark again?”

Steve read over the details that were explained in the letter, and he waited for Howard to answer. His voice travelled through the line and Steve got right to the point.

“Howard, how much is five million dollars?”

“Hoo hoo.. Steve. I’d say that’s enough to get you through the week at least.”

The week? Steve glanced back down at the amount again. He scratched at the side of his head, while Howard laughed at all the silence.

“You just deposit that into your bank account, right away. The other you can’t claim it, and we don’t want to give it back to Uncle Sam. Tell Tony, I love him.”

Howard hung up again. Steve got a bit upset that time. Uncle Sam? Who was Uncle Sam? Steve didn’t know anyone named Sam, so he maintained a puzzled look.

The would-be-soldier put the letter and the check in his wallet. Howard helped him get a bank account, a driver’s license, and a library card, so Steve was feeling pretty darn good.

He had some plans that required money, so Steve was glad that he made the trip. The blonde closed up Howard’s office, and he headed straight to the bank. Steve knew how to operate an ATM. He felt very cultured as he took the receipt.

After that, he headed back to the apartment. That golden thing had a smile on his face as he walked in. Steve immediately heard music. He set his keys in the bowl by the door, and he looked toward the room that Tony was in.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	10. Rhinestone Eyes (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 10:  Rhinestone Eyes (Part 5)

* * *

  
The Ancient One was meditating. She was watching what happened between Agamotto and Donna Strange. Stephen’s sibling had the correct instinct to flee.

Agamotto was clearly going to kill her again. The Ancient One kept reflecting and seeking scenarios on how to fix the situation. She invited an outside source.

The person she invited was welcomed with open arms, because if things truly went south with Stephen, that person was the one that would intervene.

The older Steve Rogers joined her meditation. He was not physically there, and his body was galaxies away. She smiled at him, and decided to compliment his substitute role as the Sorcerer Supreme.

“I don’t think the streets of the Multiverse have ever felt safer.”

Steve heard that comment and he gave a small laugh. The soldier received comments like that all the time. His version of Stephen Strange was in a very secure place. 

He was on an extended vacation, so Steve took over his responsibilities. The soldier was enjoying it, but the workload never seemed to stop. 

“Thank you. I won’t be mentioning that to the older Stephen.”

The two of them shared a smile. It was a joke of course. Stephen was destined to be the Sorcerer Supreme, so his abilities and attention to the responsibility was hard to top.

The conversation shifted after a while, because the Ancient One moved her arms. She displayed the scene that occurred between Agamotto and Donna Strange. Steve actually witnessed it in person. 

He had both eyes set on Agamotto. The soldier didn’t trust him as far as he could throw him. The Ancient One hesitated with his freedom as well, but a golden opportunity had risen.

“This will help us tremendously with Stephen’s training. He has rejected the Mystic Arts. But, through Agamotto, he is learning. His siblings will bring this all to a close.”

The older Steve looked at Victor and Donna. He saw her reaction to Agamotto as the Ancient One spoke again.

“I will approach them. If my plan goes south, you need to separate Stephen from Agamotto immediately. I will signal for it, like this.”

She held her hand up. Steve looked at her signal, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgment. That information concluded their meeting. They both had work to get to. Steve disappeared from her presence, then the Ancient One returned herself to Bleeker Street.

~~~—-~~~

“Baby” Steve followed the music. He walked back to Tony’s work room, and he looked in. The door was open, and he saw that glowing suit. 

Tony looked ghostly. Steve thought it was magnificent. He tried to think of the correct word for it as he walked into his space. He thought the word ethereal worked, or possibly spiritual. Steve was very drawn in as he stepped close.

Tony saw that blonde. He stopped playing the musical notes, and his glow suddenly stopped. He felt pretty stupid, so he shut off his tech. 

“Whoa, whu, wait. I want to see that.”

Steve gently spoke out into the space, and he stared at Tony’s normal clothing. He wanted to see what was on his mind. That translucent suit represented something that Steve longed to see.

The would-be-soldier thought about it, and he blinked several times. Tony was hesitant to re-activate his suit. He paused for a moment, and just studied Steve’s expression. Then, his technology illuminated the room that they were in. The soft orange glow made Steve feel warm.

“I thought you were planning something with music. I could tell.”

Steve couldn’t stop staring. He noticed what Tony was doing with his hands wherever they went. Tony always seemed to be composing a song. Steve wasn’t familiar with constructing music, but the signs of it were very clear.

He didn’t want Tony to stop what he was doing. The would-be-soldier took a step closer, and he thought about touching what he saw.

“I was just, messing around. Did you have a good run?”

Tony didn’t wanna talk about his silly musical, stuff. He felt odd about it, but Steve seemed very interested. Tony turned a little, and he bit his bottom lip. The brunette saw the aftermath of Steve’s run.

His shirt looked like it was a little damp, and his hair was messed up. Tony spaced out about that, as Steve brought his hand up toward the glowing suit. 

He needed to touch it. Steve gently traced a few of his fingers over Tony’s wrist, and he studied how the glow affected his skin.

Steve felt a subtle sort of buzz coming from the suit. A current hummed outward, and it travelled through his fingers. Tony stared down at his hand. His comment and question went unanswered, and Tony started feeling pretty flustered.

“Does it always do that?”

Steve needed to know. He slowly brought his eyes up to the face of it. The suit had a faceplate, but he could see Tony behind the glow. It was something else,and other-worldly. Steve actually thought about kissing the suit, because it was layered so closely over Tony’s skin.

“Uhmma, yes. It’s pure Hoggoth energy meeting some nano-tech. We haven’t come up with a name for it yet, but... we’ll get there.”

Tony had a few interesting names in the back of his mind. Fire Kitty Frenzy was his favorite for the moment. His older self got the final say, of course, because he did most of the work. 

Tony’s mind rambled on about that, while Steve thought about feeling more of that suit. He wanted to feel the buzz all over his skin, and he thought what he wanted was bizarre. His desire to feel the energy was growing by the minute, and Steve didn’t understand.

The blonde stepped a little closer to him, and he pressed his lips against Tony’s. Steve felt them both. The shape and the feel of Tony’s mouth was there, as Steve explored that gentle pulse. He liked how it felt, but Tony became pretty bewildered.

He did not expect Steve to start touching and making out with his suit. Tony’s baby face burst into flames, because Steve wouldn’t stop what he was doing.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	11. W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 11: W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 1)

* * *

Agamotto took notice of Stephen’s attempt to regain control of his own body. He felt the would-be-sorcerer try to move toward his siblings. The entity did not want to give up his freedom, so he developed several ways to make Stephen settle down.

Being entangled with Clea was the most effective way of keeping him in check. Stephen wasn’t interested in ending any brush of attention that came from her.

In fact, Agamotto eased up his control over Stephen, and he let the would-be-sorcerer feel more and more of her body as their encounter kept going. He did it to entice Stephen, and it worked like a charm.

Clea wasn’t sure which one of them was with her in that moment. The two of them were beginning to blur. After Stephen’s siblings arrived in the pocket dimension, Agamotto wanted them to go somewhere else.

He took Clea to his own dimension, and he said that they wouldn’t be bothered there. No one could get in, unless he allowed it. Clea thought that Stephen needed to see his siblings. She was very moved by what Victor said, and even asked Agamotto if it would be good for Stephen.

The entity did not respond, and now she was with him in a room that looked ceremonial. Clea was very seduced by Agamotto. Their constant intimate behavior had Stephen very twisted up in the mix, but he wanted it.

She was his dream girl, after all, so Stephen didn’t think about putting up a fight. His mouth was on her beautiful skin, while her hands were locked up in his dark hair.

Agamotto decided to give Stephen a little more time with her, and then he intended to take over again.

~~~—-~~~

Donna Strange couldn’t sleep. She tried to rest her mind after the insane encounter that happened with her older brother.

Victor tried to go back and find him again, but Donna demanded that he knock it off. She said it was dangerous, because it wasn’t Stephen.

The two of them agreed to catch the first bus in the morning, and head to the X-Mansion for some help. Victor felt safe with the mutants. He said that Charles Xavier could help them.

Donna liked that idea. She didn’t like anything that happened, but they couldn’t really call up the police and ask them for help.

I mean...how insane would that be?

Donna kept reflecting on what happened, and every time she tried to sleep, she felt like she was stuck underneath some random collection of water.

That water would get thicker, so she’d wake up and try to catch her breath. Donna didn’t think she could wait for the bus in the morning.

She thought about going there right away, but she couldn’t really move off her bed. Donna was pretty paralyzed, and a little frozen with fear.

She kept looking around the large room that she was in, and she tried to breathe at a normal rate. Her heart was going crazy, and she started fixing her bangs that were supposed to cover her forehead.

She was covered with sweat. The poor woman did her best. She fought her fear, and moved her body off the bed. Donna thought about yelling out for Victor, but it took all of her energy just to inhale some oxygen.

It felt like her body was shutting down or something. She didn’t understand, and it was freaking her out. She also thought about calling James and asking him for help, but she didn’t have his phone number. Donna Strange didn’t have anyone’s phone number, because she wasn’t supposed to exist.  


The sister stepped back over toward the bed, and she slowly sat back down.

The small amount of movement that she managed took everything that she had. Donna was barely able to even blink. It felt like the illusion of a person that was inside Stephen’s body had completely shut her down.

He stared directly at her, and his smile haunted her to the bone. She remembered what it really looked like. Donna was horrified by her memories as they all came flooding back.

The young woman rest her head back down on the bed, and she kept trying to breathe correctly.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	12. W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 12: W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 2)

* * *

  
Two things were going on in Brooklyn. Bucky Barnes went out with a woman in a yellow jacket, while Tony and Steve got ready for bed.

Steve had to wash away his day. He stopped what he was doing with Tony’s suit, and he was currently in the shower.

Tony slipped a pair of red shorts over his legs, and he covered his chest with a lazy black shirt. He sat down on the edge of his bed, and he thought about the day.

His encounter with Bucky threw him off, and he had spent hours obsessing over it. Tony also did his best to explain himself to Steve. He wasn’t quite sure how the blonde felt about the Stephen thing.

Tony wasn’t ready to ask, and he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He was spaced out on the bed, and the bedroom started to smell like Steve’s shampoo.

All of his shower stuff seemed to fill up the space, but Tony didn’t mind. He kept waiting on his lonesome, and he brought his right hand up off the bed.

Tony moved his fingers, and his new glove became active. He played a few notes as he waited, and he always recorded everything that it did. That shower turned off, and Tony glanced at the door. 

He concealed his suit and buried himself in the bed. Steve’s behavior had him in an odd mood. Tony felt abnormal. He didn’t know if it was because of the encounter that he had with Bucky, the suit thing, or the what?

Steve distracted his thoughts. He was out and about, and clearly dressed for sleep. Tony watched him place his clothes in the laundry basket. He folded his towel, and fixed that perfect shirt.

Tony couldn’t help but notice all of the “choices” that Steve had made after he had his own space. He really was looking at that blonde, and he still felt like his father’s comment was WRONG.

He could see that Steve had cologne choices. He had certain towels that he liked, and stuff for his hair. Tony saw all of that, and he started chomping on the corner of his pillow. He wanted Steve to lay down.

Lay down, lay down, layyy down now now nowwww. Tony squeezed the pillow with his teeth. Steve Rogers alwaystook his friggen time with everything. Tony impatiently looked over in different ways to make sure that he wasn’t ironing his socks or some crap.

Tony wanted to explore Steve’s weird behavior a little more. He had questions. It was late at night, but time was a pretty bogus concept for the two them. 

It wasn’t a stupid school night, or anything lame like that.

~~~—-~~~

Bucky wasn’t on a date. He was just “out” with a woman that he saw all the time. She had the yellow jacket on that Steve saw, and she mentioned that she wanted to stay over later. 

Bucky always let her do that, so he shrugged. They met up with her friend, and Bucky received a call. He got an alert from Howard, so he stepped away from the two women, and he answered the line.

Bucky’s transmitter was altered. He hid his technology from the women, and he opened the screen. Howard was still in Nebraska. He asked Bucky how he was, and the would-be-soldier said that he was “just dandy.”

“Good. Steve asked me if I had some work for him, and now he’s not answering his transmitter.”

...Bucky had an idea why Steve wouldn’t be answering. He figured that the blonde was dealing with Tony’s MESS. That wasn’t any of Howard’s business, however, so the friend just shrugged his shoulders.

“Right. Well, I have work for the two of you. We’ve got a bunch of H.Y.D.R.A. nests finally on our radar. You and Steve could flush them out.”

“How long is the job?”

Bucky glanced over at the two lovely ladies that he was with. He had a reason for asking about the job length, but Howard didn’t need to know the details.

“I’d say the two of you could wrap it up in a week? Can you guys spend an entire week away from paradise?”

It was up to them. Bucky couldn’t speak for Steve, but he knew that the blonde didn’t like to take jobs that kept him away from his precious apartment. 

Tony had to have been doing something right, because that blonde liked to be there as often as he could.

“I’m not sure Steve is ready for that, and I..”

Bucky stopped. His mind wandered somewhere else, and he thought about a fancy skirt. If he was gone for a week, then Donna Strange would be walking home from her job without him. 

That hadn’t happened before, and Bucky had been walking her home for months. She worked three days a week, and Bucky never missed a day.

It felt, normal... or something. Whatever that was. Howard waited for Bucky to finish his thought. He was a little perplexed, because Bucky never hesitated when it came to money and work.

“I’ll talk to Steve and get back to you, soon.”

Howard told him that it was fine. He had others that could handle the job. H.Y.D.R.A. nests were becoming a nuisance, and they had been unsuccessful at getting Steve out on the field.

“Captain America” was busy playing house. Howard knew what was going on out there, but he never complained.

The transmission between Bucky and Howard ended, then the would-be-soldier returned his focus back to two beautiful women.

~~~—-~~~

Steve finally got in bed beside Tony. He seemed very relaxed and at ease. The two of them looked at one another, and Steve could tell that Tony was about to burst.

He looked impatient and needy. His expression made Steve playfully grin. Their legs touched first, and then the two of them seemed to mold together.

Tony thought about Steve’s behavior with his suit. His mind wandered all over the place, but he currently didn’t have the guts to bring it up.

The brunette squirmed a little beside Steve, and he thought about a few other things that he wanted to bring up. Part of it had to do with the great Bucky Wonder.

Tony was finally told that they friggen hooked up while he was stupid and ignorant at the Kamar taj...

....

But....

Tony kinda wanted to know HOW the two of them hooked up. He was thirsty for details about who did what. Steve said that Bucky was “intense”.

Ok, he was “intense” in what way? Those questions plagued his young mind. His heart rolled around with him as he spazzed about all over his side of the bed. Steve just held his smile, and he kept looking at the dingbat that was moving around in bed beside him.

Tony was very obvious. Steve knew that he had something promiscuous, or devious on his mind. Steve noticed it long before his shower, so the would-be-soldier intentionally took his time getting in bed. 

He wanted to make Tony as restless as possible. It entertained Steve, and the blonde was all grins.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	13. W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 13: W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 3)

* * *

“You mean.. on that couch, out there?”

Tony was blushing, and he was pointing at the bedroom door. Steve gave a short laugh, and he started shaking his head no. Tony asked him even more questions about Bucky.

Steve was nervous about it, but he answered them honestly. He confessed that the most “intense” experience between them was on the living room couch.

“No, Tony. Not that one. Bucky got rid of it.”

The blonde was pretty rosy as he spoke. He was enjoying how close Tony was, and the would-be-soldier kept touching his leg or his waist. He wanted to pull Tony closer, but that curiosity wouldn’t cease.

“And, it was..you guys switched it up? He did what, we..normal, I mean. It wasn’t, how us?”

“...what?”

Schuwu&:82badkwduaub/52&.!?,dahhuagallhuauhhyah? Tony almost shrieked like a banshee because his words weren’t forming right at all. Steve simply laughed against his pillow, and he almost rolled his eyes.

Come onnnnn Tony. Steve was dying, because he really was in a mood. He brought his lips over toward Tony’s neck, and he just ignored all of his babbling. Steve started touching that warm skin.

WAIT. Tony almost had his words. His face started melting, because Steve’s hands and lips were invading his skin. SHIT STICKS. Tony couldn’t think, but he really needed to get his thoughts out of his head.

Steve moved over. He brought his body over Tony’s, and he kept concentrating on kissing his skin. The brunette gasped out, because one of those hands found its way into those red shorts.

Tony started tasting a very clean and yummy shirt. He had to chew on Steve’s shirt sleeve, because the blonde was doing as he pleased. Tony was giving himself some unnecessary stress, and Steve wanted him to stop.

He failed to see where Tony was going with all of his questions, so he just made his move on the person below him. Their lips connected, and they moved around beneath the blanket. That blanket needed to go because Steve was smokin hot, and Tony’s body was on fire.

His feet were melting off, and he let that blonde move one of his legs. Steve was focused on Tony’s shorts. He was in the middle of removing them, but the kissing between them wouldn’t stop. 

Tony’s thoughts about Steve wouldn’t cease. He confessed how he was intimate with Bucky, and it sparked something within Tony. A curiosity had developed, and it was making the brunette squirm about.

TONY PLEEEAASSSssEEE... Steve wanted to get busy. He was ignoring all of Tony’s continued silliness, because he already answered all of his questions. The would-be-soldier had himself between Tony’s legs, and he was ready to start opening him up.

Steve looked beside the bed. He kept one hand in those shorts, and started prepping Tony open just for him. The brunette let his boyfriend touch his body. The contact slowly softened Tony’s behavior. It directed and focused his attention to Steve’s neck and shoulder.

Steve felt very hard. Tony felt him against his thigh. A strong desire to touch himself built up in Tony, and it made him finally form the correct words.

“I want to do, what he did.”

But better. That’s the point that Tony was failing to get to. Steve let Bucky fuck him, and he said that it was “intense”. Steve also admitted that he loved how it felt, so he always tried to make Tony feel the same thing.

The challenge was officially fucking accepted, Bucky Wonder. Tony was determined to perfect what the super friends had going.

Steve already had lubricant on his free hand. He reached over and got it while Tony was busy spazzing. Steve was not following what Tony said for a moment, and the blonde blinked several times.

Say what? Steve’s big heart inflated, and his shy nature immediately took over. Tony chewed on that bottom lip for a sec, and then he slowly moved his left leg.

“Would you let me?”

Gahh, Tony could feel that thick... aSdhrqFhyeq:)623$9&4-Ghkr!!! He wanted it either way, but the curiosity dominated the moment. The brunette closed his eyes as that hand was removed from his shorts. Steve gripped the bed instead, and he stared down at Tony.

Steve really liked how it felt. Bucky was the only person that did... that. So.. Steve felt pretty nervous. He kept looking down at Tony’s face.

The blonde felt those lips against his neck again. He told Tony that he wanted him to do it, but he was never sure how to bring it up.

They kept kissing as the decision was made. Tony migrated out from underneath Steve. The two of them ended up sitting almost face to face, but a small disclaimer came to Tony’s devious mind.

“Uhhmaa, what I have in mind is pretty kinky. I’m not sure you’re prepared for it, so I wanted to run it by you and see if your comfortable enough for it..”

Steve looked like he was in a bit of a daze. He heard Tony, and he immediately tried to define the word “kinky” in his head. Steve really wanted Tony to do what Bucky did.

He was already burning up about their discussion, but what Tony said to him next really made Steve heat up.

“It’s probably better if you turn over at first. I have a feeling it’s gonna be pretty stimulating.”

The brunette was ready to give out the insight on his kinky idea. He planned to talk him through it. Steve was pretty nervous, but his curiosity defeated those nerves, and the two slowly repositioned. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. :)


	14. W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 14: W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 4)

* * *

  
Stephen was left completely alone with Agamotto. Clea needed to leave them, and attend to her own dimension. She planned to be back eventually, but she had responsibilities that the two of them were constantly keeping her from.

Agamotto had separated himself from Stephen, and he asked him if he was finally listening. Listening? For what... 

Stephen felt like he could hear everything. They both were sitting on the floor, and Stephen kept staring down at his arms. The dark blue clothes that his older self wore were on his body.

The would-be-sorcerer kept staring at the straps over his wrists, then he brought his focus up toward the other presence in the room. The two of them were face to face. Stephen had never seen Agamotto’s actual image before.

His form was very bright. Agamotto was almost blue. Stephen thought that he looked like a phantom, or just like a neutron star. The entity ignored Stephen’s fascinated expression. He wanted to train Stephen, and get him on a level where the two of them could coexist.

That notion becoming a reality was in the best interest of them both. Agamotto had no interest in constantly dodging Oshtur’s host, or being stuck in his own dimension all the time.

He wanted Stephen to learn on his terms, so he eliminated the hold that was placed on his mind. Those... emotions, and memories within Stephen seemed to paralyze the sorcerer-in-training.

Agamotto saw it as weakness, and he tried to force him through it. Stephen couldn’t focus when his emotions were unsuppressed. The ancient entity sat before him, and he talked him through letting them go.

When Stephen was unable to do that, Agamotto tried a different method. He had Stephen suspended upward, and there was some sort of device secured to the floor.

It looked old as hell, and sharp. Agamotto informed him that all of his thoughts and emotions held weight. His suspension would slip, if he didn’t let go.

The more Stephen slipped downward, the closer he got to the device below him. It was shaped like a pyramid, and Stephen didn’t want to go near it.

It looked like a friggen torture chamber device. Agamotto’s method meant physical pain, and Stephen was not a fan of that. His older self already tortured him enough.

He focused, and did his best to not retain any emotional weight. Stephen took in a deep breath, and he tried to let any passing thought go.

~~~——~~~

Donna Strange was asleep. She finally managed to get some rest, but it wasn’t long before she had a visitor. The Ancient One intended to kill two birds with one stone.

She planned to have Stephen’s siblings correct the Agamotto situation, and use Stephen’s entity to get him closer to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme.

Approaching Donna Strange was the first step. The young woman was swimming in her dream. It was a sunny day, and the water was at her shoulders.

The Ancient One hovered above her dream lake, and Donna was not disturbed by her presence. She had seen the Ancient One before. She was just as familiar as Agamotto, but her presence did not frighten Donna.

“I have an address to give you. I want you to take Victor to that address tomorrow morning, then we will work on getting your older brother back.”

The Ancient One waited for Donna to respond. She was peacefully floating, and listening to what was said. Getting Stephen back was her main objective.

Donna didn’t intend to encounter the other person, because she felt like it wanted to destroy her. Donna was afraid of Agamotto, and the thought of him started making the water dark.

She said that she would go to the address, and asked what else she was supposed to do. The dark water was rising up, and Donna started looking around her body.

“At that address, you will speak to two people. Talk to them, and then bring them to me. Those two people will help you. Understand?”

Donna immediately said that she understood. She felt a little better after hearing that she would have some help, and she started looking up at the beautiful sky again.

She ignored the dark water below her, and she focused on the sun. It felt warm on her skin, and she softly smiled. The Ancient One remained in her dream for a little while longer.

The loss of Donna Strange was very personal for her, and the Ancient One sometimes blamed herself. She had a connection to Donna that first developed when she was a child.

Agamotto chose Stephen when he was eight, so the Ancient One chose Donna. She communicated with her, and used her to act as a counterbalance. She lost that battle, and she reflected on it as Donna continued to dream.

Her death had been corrected, but the memory of that still haunted The Ancient One every now and then.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	15. W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 15: W.D.Y.W.F.M. (Part 5)

* * *

  
Stephen’s feet were getting very close to sharp things. His mind picked up on several things as he tried to get a grip on his emotions.

He was able to hear and sometimes visualize so many different happenings. So many things were going on around him, and he began to wonder how far his mind could actually see.

Stephen knew that his siblings were sleeping, but at the same time he knew that Clea was speaking to someone in the Dark Dimension. He currently could not see them, but he could feel that their energy was low.

He realized that he was also able to sort of “check in” on his parents, but his mind wandered off toward another place. Stephen checked in on Tony, and his emotions immediately flared up.

...everything friggen flared up. Stephen could feel the energy that was mixing between Tony and Steve in that moment. He forced his mind to return, and his body immediately started holding weight.

He was deeply affected, and Agamotto basically told him that he needed to “get used to it”. The entity informed Stephen that their bodies housed Hoggoth and Oshtur, so that energy would always mix.

The entity also kindly told him that Hoggoth and Oshtur were “undivided”, and it seemed like their chosen hosts mirrored that sentiment. Stephen was told that there was nothing that his “human emotions” could do.

Well, he didn’t really want to “do” anything about it. Stephen was just thrown off by the intense energy that was blown straight through his chest. He knew that they always were together.

...Of course they were.

For Stephen, it was something that had become expected. The would-be-sorcerer peered down at his feet.

He did his best to let go of what he felt, and he started working on lifting himself back up again.

~~~—-~~~

Tony had to take a second to catch his breath. He looked at Steve below him, and he tried to focus on his skin. That golden thing was pretty quiet. Steve was processing everything that Tony was doing to him, and gently breathing out against his pillow.

The brunette brushed his hands over that yummy skin, and slowly picked up their bottle of lubricant. Tony only needed a little more. He massaged it over himself, and then he brought his hips back toward Steve’s lower half.

The would-be-soldier propped himself upward, and he looked back toward Tony. He was very spread out for him, and he wanted their behavior to continue. Tony had been using parts of his suit to prep Steve open.

That suit generated a strong and continuous vibration. It was the reason why Steve kept biting his tongue. The blonde wanted more of what he felt, so he moved his hips backward a little.

He was hinting for more, and Steve got what he wanted. The would-be-soldier gave out a short breath when Tony slipped himself back in. The last coat of lube did the trick. It made Tony move quicker. Steve wanted it hard, so he dropped back down to the pillow. He roughly gripped the sides of it as Tony started speeding up.

He knew exactly how he like to get fucked, and he could tell that Steve wanted something similar. His quiet nature was slipping, and Tony started hearing that beautiful voice.

Steve’s moans and his irregular breathing was adorable. Tony couldn’t get enough. He rubbed his messy hand all over one of those strong legs, then he smiled when Steve got a little louder.

Pop off Steveeeeee. Tony roughly pulled that perfect ass back. He was in charge for once, and that made Tony wanna lick his shoulder. Steve gasped again when Tony pulled him back.

That suit kept vibrating, and it made Steve reach backward for Tony. He grabbed Tony’s hip, and held him in place. It was a reaction that brought a playful laugh out of Tony.

He kept that cock where Steve wanted it, and he slowly increased the pulse of the suit. They stared at one another. They kept looking as that buzz kept going.

Tony quietly asked him if he liked it. Steve just sucked in a breath, and he pressed his forehead against Tony’s face. Steve kept holding him in the same place, and then he started nodding his head.

It was slower than how it happened with Bucky. The two of them were just working off the effects of the serum, or something. It didn’t feel as “involved” as it was with Tony.

Steve felt like Tony knew his body very well. He knew exactly where to touch him, and how. It felt very, intricate?

Steve thought of that word as he nuzzled his face against Tony’s. The brunette smiled, then those soft lips covered his. His messy hand found Steve’s cock as well. He kissed that summmer blonde, and started stroking him until that hand felt wet.

Steve was a blushing mess. He was very reactive to Tony, and he felt pleasured in a way that was very new to him. It really hit the spot, and Steve had to express it. 

He released what he felt all over Tony’s hand. The unruly brunette even cupped it, and used it to keep them going. Steve felt shy, because Tony had no shame. He shoved his face against the pillow, and pressed his chest back down on the bed.

The encounter between the two of them was also an encounter between Hoggoth and Oshtur. The tiger-like entity that possessed Tony always dominated Oshtur.

Hoggoth was just like Tony. They both burned for an unbridled compassion, physical satisfaction, and love. His soul was wild, so he was very happy with his host.

Tony and Steve thought nothing of that, however, and the two of them just kept going. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	16. Never Be Like You (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 16: Never Be Like You (Part 1)

* * *

Donna and Victor Strange woke up at different times. Donna was an early bird, while Victor liked his sleep. She made him breakfast, and arranged for a cab to pick them up in a couple hours.

She confessed that she barely slept. Victor was very curious and perplexed about what was happening with his siblings. He was convinced that Charles Xavier could help.

His idea to head to the X-Mansion was changed, because Donna told him about what she dreamt. Now the plan was to head to an address, as soon as the taxi arrived.

Donna finished her morning meal, and she got ready for her day. The young woman put a lot of thought into her appearance. She liked to look nice, and she always took her time with her hair.

She picked a plum colored skirt with black tights. Her blouse was floral, and it was always sheer.She knew that it was cold outside, so she decided to bring a large sweater or jacket. Donna wasn’t sure about the final color. She scanned through her options for a while, and settled on her tan coat.

She slipped several bracelets on over her wrist, and found a dark scarf. Donna finished up her look, and then she headed out to check on Victor.

He was wearing one of Stephen’s old t-shirts. Victor always got the “hand-me-down” clothes from his older brother when they all lived in Nebraska. Victor considered it to be a jackpot.

He liked Stephen’s style, and his taste in music. Victor always accepted the clothes that he got from his big bro. The shirt was yellow, and faded a little bit. Donna read the name of the band when she walked in the room. The shirt said “Faith No More”, but she didn’t listen to anything like that.

Victor was tying his shoes. He said that he was ready, then the two of them headed out. She got in the cab first, and she made room for her brother. Donna buckled her seat belt, and she gave the driver the address.

“569 Leaman Place, please.”

“That’s in Brooklyn.”

Victor made sure to mention that they would be leaving Manhattan. The cab driver said that it was technically at the end of “Brooklyn Heights”, and that he had it covered.

Cool man, good for you. Victor fixed his dark jacket, and he glanced at his sister. She didn’t pay any attention to the driver’s response. They sped off toward their destination, and she quietly kept her focus out the window.

~~~~—-~~~~

Bucky took both women home with him, but only one of them stayed in his bedroom. The one in his room always wore a yellow jacket. Bucky saw her all the time, and her friend crashed on the couch.

They talked about getting some breakfast, because Bucky barely had food at his place. He agreed to go to a small deli that was close, but he felt pretty lazy.

His female companion encouraged him to get up, and she even agreed to pay for it. Bucky didn’t want her doing that, so he sighed and located something to wear.

Across the apartment pond, Tony and Steve were awake. They were sitting beside each other at their cozy little table. Steve was eating his gross oatmeal, while Tony chomped on some toast.

They both heard a knock on the apartment door. They never had any guests, so the two of them thought the knock was odd. Bucky was the only person that stopped by, so confusion settled in.

Steve swallowed his oatmeal, and he quickly glanced at Tony. 

“He can wait.”

Tony figured that it was BUCKY FUCKING WONDER, and he was not in the mood to see that jerk. Tony wanted him to knock all day. He didn’t plan to open the door for him. Nope.

Steve had to laugh. He had a feeling that Bucky and Tony were always going to be at odds. They heard another knock on the door, and he listened to Tony huff about.

“Visiting hours do not exist, FOR YOU.”

Jackass. Tony squawked loudly at the door, and Steve suppressed another laugh. He started slicing up some apples for them, and he tried not to seem that amused. Tony looked a bit heated, so Steve kissed the side of his face.

The Tony and Bucky thing was a pot boiling, for sure. 

Steve told himself that their mess was not his problem. No thank you. He stood up from his oatmeal, and casually headed over toward the door.

The would-be-soldier was very surprised to see two people at his front door. Bucky wasn’t there at all, and he looked directly at Donna Strange.

They only saw her briefly on the night that Stephen “disappeared”. Steve stared at her for a moment, and she said hello. He thought that she could have been Stephen’s fraternal twin.

Steve said hello back, and he gave Victor a friendly smile. Their visit was very unexpected, so Steve was a bit speechless.

Tony’s chair creaked loudly as he leaned over to see what was happening. What the eff? He couldn’t see who it was, so he growled a little and got up.

He brought his mood, and his bright red shorts over to the door, and he friggen gasped at who he saw. Stephen’s beautiful siblings were right there in the doorway. 

Donna Strange looked directly at Tony, and she remembered what Victor said about him. She didn’t intend to bring any of that up, so she just smiled and explained the visit.

“I was told to come here today, and ask you two to help us bring Stephen back. Are you busy?”

UHHM? Bring him back? Tony was under the impression that Stephen left willingly, then got himself in an Agamotto mess. He walked out into the middle of a Manhattan street with his tinker bell princess, then they romantically took off.

There was no “bringing back” the person that wanted to leave. Tony spun on that shit for months. His heart sank down to his feet, and he didn’t respond at all.

Thankfully, Steve answered Donna’s question. He said that they weren’t busy at all. Steve mentioned that he wanted to understand more about what happened to Stephen.

Donna was glad to hear that Steve was concerned. She smiled at him, then she slowly looked behind her. Donna heard some laughter in a different direction.

She noticed another apartment door down the hall, but then she turned her focus back to Steve.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	17. Never Be Like You (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 17: Never Be Like You (Part 2)

* * *

  
Bucky didn’t want to be gone from his apartment for too long. He wasn’t particularly interested in the company that he had either. The would-be-soldier didn’t want to be alone, he just had a mixture of things on his mind.

The friend that crashed on his couch had a very loud laugh. Bucky didn’t want to hear it anymore, but he didn’t want to just... throw them out.

He rubbed his face for a short while as they all got ready to go. Bucky planned to not invite them back up after they ate. That was his plan, because he needed to ask Steve about the job with Howard.

Bucky put on his shoes. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt, with dark jeans. He opened his apartment door and let one of the girls walk out in front of him.

She had her yellow jacket over her arm, and she asked him if he had an umbrella. Bucky didn’t have an umbrella..

The not-so-winter-soldier gave a soft sigh, and he quickly looked over at Steve’s door. Donna Strange was standing there, and she was looking directly at him.

Bucky froze. He thought that he was hallucinating. The man remained frozen as he was asked for an umbrella again.

Donna was still speaking to Steve. She heard the other door open, and she slowly looked toward the other apartment. She saw the young woman walk out, and then her heart collapsed when she saw Bucky follow her out the door.

Steve was telling her that they’d join them after they got ready, and he asked for the address. She only mentioned that they needed to meet somewhere on Bleecker Street. Donna turned away from the conversation, and Steve’s eyebrow instantly arched up.

Donna kept staring at Bucky, and Steve heard her give a surprised gasp. Bucky was still frozen stiff. Donna was the absolute last person that he expected to see at Steve’s door. It didn’t make sense. The loud friend walked out of his apartment, and she joined them.

They both told Bucky to hurry up, or they would eat without him. Donna watched the women head down the stairs, and realized that she wasn’t looking at James. She was really only looking at a person that randomly had two women in his apartment. It was...

She immediately turned her focus back to Steve, and she seemed a bit shaken up. Victor was very confused. He looked up at his sister, then he looked over at Bucky.

They both... looked... WEIRD. Victor scratched the side of his head. Donna composed herself, and slowly spoke up again. Her voice was clearly affected, and she barely made any eye contact with Steve.

“The address is 177A Bleecker Street. We’ll see you both there soon. Thank you.”

She smiled at him, then told Victor that it was time to go. Whoa whoa whoa. Steve Rogers was not liking what he was witnessing. He snapped a look over Donna’s shoulder, and he locked his focus right on Bucky.

That friend of his gulped. Bucky saw that look, and he finally started moving. Steve’s eyes said it all. That blonde wanted an explanation, immediately.

BUCKY.

Hoo hoo.... Tony had the biggest grin on his face. He stood behind Steve, and he watched Bucky Wonder take a flying leap. Donna and Victor were GONE. They dipped out as fast as possible, and Tony saw Steve’s hands go up on them hips.

That golden soldier boy looked pretty mad, and Tony was dying from all the joy that was put in his soul. It was such a special moment for him. It felt divine, or holy.

Bucky started heading toward the stairs, but Steve’s voice cut his movement short.

“What did you do?”

Steve was serious. That was STEPHEN’S sister....Hello? Did Bucky want to die? Steve didn’t like Donna’s reaction, and the situation didn’t sit well with him at all. Bucky kept staring at his path down the stairs.

He didn’t want to go to breakfast, he wanted to follow Donna, and explain.

He only slept with one of them, and for some reason he thought that would make it... better? Bucky closed his eyes for a second, and then he finally looked over at Steve.

“I didn’t do anything.”

He technically didn’t. Bucky just walked her home. Steve kept staring at Bucky, because he could tell that he was affected by Donna’s presence as well.

Steve saw the woman with the yellow jacket every now and then. Bucky never behaved any differently, for her. His place was a mess, he always maintained a passive attitude when she was around, and she never called him James.

Now, Bucky looked completely different. Steve thought about him cleaning up his place, and he glanced at those wooden stairs.

“Ok, well..see ya.”

Steve gave Bucky a small wave, then he closed the door to his apartment. He looked at Tony’s gigantic grin, and the blonde gave him a short laugh.

“Whaa, no sexy lecture?”

Tony needed that in his life. He reeled in close to Steve, as the blonde returned to his apples. Nope. No lecture. Steve decided to let that situation get resolved on its own.

Donna and Victor walked away from that apartment. Victor asked her if she was ok, and Donna kindly said that she was fine.

She didn’t expect to get that flustered, but her reaction couldn’t be helped. She was thinking about “Bucky’s” behavior, and it all started making sense.

He had a girlfriend, or...

Donna Strange thought about what she saw. He clearly had other interests in his life, and she figured that was why he never accepted her dinner invites. He always rejected her, every time she asked.

....of course he had a girlfriend. Donna felt a little stupid, and she stared down at the sidewalk. Victor was asking her if they were actually walking all the way to Bleecker Street, or getting another cab.

“We’ll take a cab. I’m not walking all the way there.”

No way. She sighed where she was, then tried to brush off how she felt. Victor flagged down a cab, and the two of them headed out of Brooklyn.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	18. Never Be Like You (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 18: Never Be Like You (Part 3)

* * *

  
Clea was allowed to enter Agamotto’s dimension. She migrated her way toward the only energy source she could find, and she noticed that Stephen was sitting on the ground.

He was outside Agamotto’s temple, and he looked like he was resting against the stone walls. She lowered herself down to the ground level, and Stephen slowly looked up.

His dream girl stopped above him, and she asked him if he was alright. Stephen was exhausted, and his feet were injured. He lost his grip on his emotions, and he had been lowered all the way down to the sharp pyramid of death.

His only option was to stand on it, or keep going down, down, and then down again. It punctured several holes in the bottom of his feet. Stephen tried to lift his legs up, but that meant other parts of his body would be stabbed or cut.

Agamotto was very disappointed with him, and done with his presence. The entity left him, and now Stephen was licking his mental and physical wounds.

He finally felt alone in his body, so he declared that to be a silver lining. Clea kept staring at him. She gave a small sigh, and slowly sat down beside Stephen. She looked at his feet, and asked him again if he was ok.

Stephen kept staring at her face. The two of them had been very intimate, but they barely ever had a conversation. Agamotto got to interact with her the most, and Stephen felt like he was just the vessel that made it happen.

They were actually alone in that moment, so Stephen felt a little nervous. He felt very unlucky and bad at relationships.

“I’m ok.”

He thought about his failed attempts to make Christine Palmer his girlfriend. She always held him at a distance. Then, he thought about Tony Stark.

Stephen brought his leg up toward his chest, and he tried to let go of what he felt. He wasn’t used to his emotions being unsuppressed, so...

“Did you hear what Victor said to you?”

Clea thought about it all the time. What was happening with Agamotto was beyond her control, but Clea had a soft heart. She kept looking at his feet, and she slowly brought herself closer to them.

Stephen warmed up a little. She was close, and it made him remember what they did. It distracted him from her question. Clea glanced up at Stephen, and she waited for him to answer.

“I heard him, yes.”

Victor told him that he missed him. Stephen wanted to return to his siblings, and he had no idea how long it had been. Clea gently put her hand over his left foot. He stared at her hands, and he became a little mesmerized by her skin.

Her body and complexion was like an opal gemstone. The glows and all the different colors were subtle, but Stephen couldn’t stop himself. Clea held a small smile, and she healed the wounds that were on his left foot.

Stephen thanked her for doing that, but she didn’t say anything back. Clea just moved closer to his right foot, and she healed his wounds again. Stephen watched her with a warmth on his face. The warmth grew, because she kept touching his skin. Clea remained where she was, and she looked up at her husband.

They were not married in his dimension, but what happened between them was considered marriage by her people. Her father confirmed that while Stephen was completely controlled by Agamotto.

In the Dark Dimension, Stephen and Clea were already husband and wife.

He was aware of what happened. Stephen couldn’t overpower Agamotto, or change what went on between them. He wouldn’t have changed it if he could, and the would-be-sorcerer didn’t protest a thing.

It was just... crazy. Stephen felt like he barely even processed them leaving New York. Clea noticed that he was deep in thought. She briefly wondered where Agamotto was, and if he was watching them communicate.

She was glad to be speaking with Stephen, so she brought her hand up to his face. The almost-sorcerer-supreme sat up from the wall, and he allowed Clea to gently kiss him.

At that point, it seemed like the two of them had kissed at least a hundred thousand times. Stephen wasn’t counting, but her lips and behavior had become very familiar. His young mind settled on the moment he was in, and he returned her kiss immediately. 

~~~—-~~~

Bucky was alone when he returned to his apartment, and he did not eat any breakfast. He thought about talking to Steve, but the would-be-soldier decided against it when he reached their floor.

He just shut the door to his apartment and decided not to speak to anyone. Bucky didn’t see Donna anywhere outside the apartment. She just vanished with her brother.

Bucky sat down in his favorite spot, and he lit up a cigarette. He stared out the window for a while, and debated what to do.

Donna seemed very upset with what she saw. He wanted to talk to her. All of the insane thoughts that he had about earning Stephen’s respect kept coming back to him. Bucky felt like his plan was pretty shot to shit.

Bucky knew exactly what he liked, and didn’t like. He actually knew what he really wanted, but he was secretly waiting for Stephen to magically return. That’s why he kept himself informed, and why he always updated Donna.

The not-so-winter-soldier kept reflecting on his terrible morning, then he blew out a puff of smoke.

He sat there in his thoughts, and finally noticed the taste of his cigarette. Bucky watched it smolder and burn in his left hand. The cigarette ...was shit.

Bucky discarded it, and he tried not to light up another one. He ended up getting rid of the entire pack, and he thought about buying real food.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	19. Never Be Like You (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 19: Never Be Like You (Part 4)

* * *

Tony and Steve took the C train toward their destination. It was pretty packed, so the two of them had to stand pretty close. They naturally did that anyway, so they ignored some glances that came from other passengers.

They walked the rest of the way to Bleecker Street. Tony studied all the addresses, as the two of them walked down the sidewalk. Steve saw a motorcycle, and he gave a quiet whistle.

Tony glanced over at Steve, and a warm smile formed. Did Steve wanna get himself a little hot rod? Tony wondered as they walked. He held that blondie’s hand, and told him that he found the address.

Steve pulled his focus from the bike, and he looked up at the building. It looked like it was the haunted mansion on the block. It wasn’t “spooky” like on Halloween, it just looked old and probably cursed.

Tony and Steve looked at one another, and they both exchanged some baffled looks. They were taught the Mystic Arts, but everything in Kathmandu felt very spiritual.

The building that they currently looked at felt very unusual. Perhaps, it was mysterious, or magical? Steve tried to think of the correct word, as Tony stepped up to the door.

He knocked three times.

Victor Strange opened the door. He said hello to Tony and Steve, then he made room for them to walk in. The two of them walked into the Sanctum Sanctorum, and an eerie feeling slowly began to settle.

“It feels..”

What was it? Tony kept looking at Steve. It felt familiar, and that was creepy for Tony. He stuck by Steve, and his eyes wandered about the space.

Steve immediately started exploring. He asked Victor if the place was abandoned, and the youngest Strange said that he didn’t have a clue.

“Donna is upstairs. We’ve been looking for the person that she saw in her dream, but...”

Nothing. Victor smiled at them again, and he looked up the giant stairs. Steve walked up six steps. He turned around, and looked down at the other two.

“What person in her dream?”

Steve was very intrigued. He wanted to explore every inch of the building. He was reminded of something as well, but he couldn’t figure out what it was.

Donna Strange was looking for something. She was told what she needed to get Stephen back, and she was on her way to accomplishing her objective.

She heard Victor talking to Steve and Tony. They were heading up the stairs, but the building had three stories. The first one had a common library, common rooms for guests, and a kitchen. 

The second one had more rooms, and a study. The third floor was the only one worth exploring. It had an open room that seemed like it was used for meditating. Donna found the real library, and a room full of peculiar items and artifacts.

She couldn’t get into one of the rooms, and she was sure that what she needed was inside it. Donna walked back to the stairs, and she said hello to the three companions that were walking up.

“I think we’ve searched the entire place, except this one room.”

Donna pointed at the only door that was locked. Steve, Tony, and Victor made it up the stairs, and they all started focusing where Donna was pointing. The door had an interesting pattern around it. Steve walked ahead of the pack, and he approached the door.

The blonde extended his hand, and he gently opened it. The door immediately flew open, and they all could see that it led to a completely different place. That door was actually a gateway to another dimension. Steve felt a strong pull coming from within it, so he quickly reached in and shut the door.

They all slowly looked at Donna.

“It was locked, I swear.”

What the hell. She was beginning to get annoyed with the place. Donna looked toward her left, and she attempted to look down the stairs. The stairs were now on her right hand side.

A few of them shrieked, because the stairs weren’t where they originally were.

“Are we moving? Or, is the floor changing around?”

Victor had to ask. He looked down at the floor. The Sanctum Sanctorum rotated. It was designed to shift and alter itself. The rooms that Donna thought she explored had been relocated, and the locked room was currently somewhere else.

There was one element within the Sanctum that stayed exactly the same. Tony was looking directly at it, and he was certain that he had seen it before. Tony pointed at the giant window that was to his right.

He asked Steve if he had seen it before. The would-be-soldier told him that he had. He couldn’t remember where, of course, so he sighed and looked at Donna.

“Victor mentioned that you are looking for something to bring Stephen back. Can you tell us what it looks like? Then, maybe we should split up and look?”

Split up? Donna listened to Steve. He was trying to come up with an effective plan, since there was no one to guide them around the peculiar building.

The mansion rotated, so Donna wasn’t sure if that was the best plan. She looked at her younger brother, then confessed.

“We need to find something called the Eye of Agamotto. That is all we need to bring him back.”

Tony’s young ears instantly sprang to life. AHH. Ah. He knew exactly what the Eye of Agamotto was. He spoke very loudly.

“Big Stephen wears that. That’s what this entire place reminds me of. Right Steve?”

The whole place felt exactly like the energy that came from the king of brooding. Stephen’s older self was moody as fuhhhhhkkk.

Tony chuckled a little bit. His older self was in charge of the Mystic Arts weaponry, and all the fancy artifacts, so he knew exactly what they were looking for.

“Let’s stick together, and I’ll scan around for what it’s made out of. I have a complete breakdown of it right here.”

Tony flipped up a digital screen and he immediately started sifting through the program called E.D.I.T.H.

Donna and Victor did not expect Tony to whip up that screen, so their mouths were locked open for a short while. Tony started scanning the building. They all watched his technology construct a map of every room.

They even watched a floor rotate, and Steve’s eyes settled on something that moved pretty slowly in one of the rooms.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	20. Never Be Like You (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 20: Never Be Like You (Part 5)

* * *

  
The “Eye” was not showing up on any of Tony’s screens. He even scanned the plumbing of the giant building, but their search got them nowhere.

Donna was getting discouraged. She was glad that Tony’s technology gave them a map, but that was it. His tech kept track of the rooms and different corridors as they were routinely switched around.

For the moment, they were in the real library on the third floor. Steve had a book open about the Mystic Arts. It took him a while, but he found an illustration of the symbol that covered the giant window.

“It’s called the Anomaly Rue.”

Steve spoke out loud, and he traced one of his fingers over the lines. Victor was close to Steve. He wanted to see the picture as well. The would-be-soldier smiled at him, and he moved a bit so he could see.

“It says that it is the seal of the Vishanti.”

Steve kept reading on. Victor read along with him while Donna and Tony did their own thing. Tony was convinced that the rotation of the Sanctum had something to do with them not being able to find the Eye.

Donna was told that it was there, and Tony was pretty sure that she wasn’t crazy. He still wondered how she was alive. He looked at her, and watched her flip through several pages of a book.

Tony leaned a little to his left, and he double checked to see how far away Steve was. That blonde was talking to Victor, so Tony decided to delicately pounce.

Curiosity was officially building up about the ever-so-elegant Donna Strange. Tony picked up one of the books. He skimmed it for pretty pictures, as she slowly glanced in his direction.

Victor told her that Stephen “really liked” Tony. The younger brother even told her that they kissed. Victor told her everything that he knew, and so a curiosity about Tony was building.

They both had questions, but neither of them wanted to start the show.

“Oh look! It’s called the Window of the Worlds.”

Victor sounded excited. His voice carried over to Donna and Tony’s side of the room. Tony carefully looked over. He didn’t want Steve catching onto his behavior.

Luckily, the golden boy was still trying to solve the Vishanti mystery. Tony was way ahead of them. He glanced at his tech, and made a calculation about the movement of the rooms.

He glanced over at the “Window of the Worlds” and then he checked the time. All was currently groovy, so he returned back to his main agenda.

Tony glanced at Donna, and she continued to glance at him. She closed her book, and looked over at Steve.

“You two are just, adorable. Aren’t you?”

Ooohh... hello there. Tony could sense some serious Strange sarcasm going on there. He could see it in her face, and he heard it in her tone. They were very adorable. Tony agreed with that statement.

“Cute as kittens. You certainly looked adorable earlier too, Donna. James seemed very surprised.”

Ohhhhh wow. Donna saw that sly grin, and she determined exactly who she was dealing with. She thought, what a feisty fellow...

The young woman crossed her arms, and one of her eyebrows was immediately arched upward. Donna Strange was sizing Tony up, and he was doing the same.

He checked the time again, while Donna looked over at her brother.

“Why are you helping us find Stephen? You didn’t seem that concerned.”

Steve was the one that had more of an interest. Tony only seemed upset. He was upset, but the “feisty” brunette wasn’t going to tell Donna why. That information was developing, and it wasn’t up for grabs.

He put the bogus book back, and he thought about mentioning one element.

“He owes me a sandwich.”

And a hot date. Tony wasn’t going to let him take off with his tinker bell princess forever. He was pretty pissed off at Stephen. Donna couldn’t believe Tony’s comment. She stood there with the most baffled look on her face. A sandwich?

She wondered if he was all there. What he said, was truly bizarre.

“Any why are you dodging glances from Bucky? I’m sorry... James.”

Tony almost laughed out loud. He hated Bucky so much in that moment, but Tony knew that he needed to move on. He couldn’t really hate Steve’s best friend.

He had to tolerate him for million years or whatever, so Tony tried his best to enjoy it. The rosy cheeks on Donna’s face amused him a bit too much, so Tony glanced over at Steve.

“I wasn’t dodging anything. He walks me home sometimes, and I didn’t expect to see him. That’s all.”

That information was none of Tony’s business. She told him only what she wanted, then she headed over toward her brother. Tony was reminded of their older brother. Donna was very nice, but they all had an icy personality.

He logged the delightful information about Bucky walking Donna home into his memory bank, and he checked the time again. Tony glanced at his tech, and he watched the mystery door finally line up with the giant window.

He ditched the slow moving mystery solving trio, and headed south. Tony got to the door and POW. It was open. Steve saw what he was doing, and he thought that it was hilarious that Tony thought he couldn’t hear him.

The information about Bucky was interesting, and the sandwich comment made him almost laugh. Steve heard all of that crap, and he followed after Tony’s ridiculousness.

They all entered the room that belonged to the almost-sorcerer-supreme. Stephen had only been in it once, but it was meant for him. They saw the Cloak of Levitation, and a million more books on the walls. Tony’s digital screens completely covered the room.

He hunted around for that artifact, and his sensors focused on something in the room. There was a desk, and he was getting a hit from the stupid drawer.

“Seriously?”

Tony kinda cringed. He thought that the puzzle couldn’t have been that easy to solve. He moved the mystical looking chair, and he dropped down to his knees.

Steve, Donna, and Victor all watched him pick at the lock. The mystery was more annoying than he thought. Tony formed tools with his tech, and he kept trying to force his way into the desk.

“Hoo hoo. Got it, here.”

Tony took his time, and he moved up to his feet. He held the Eye of Agamotto up for all to see. Steve was amused. He smiled at what Tony had in his hand, and then he looked over at the cloak. He remembered the older Stephen proudly wearing those items.

The blonde realized that things were finally coming together, and he was pretty sure that their Stephen would wear it soon.

“Ok, so now what?”

Victor was very impatient. The dream Donna had didn’t get them all the way to Stephen. Her dream only brought them all to that moment. They didn’t have an actual plan to get him back. Victor pointed out that they only had a necklace.

He waited for anyone in the room to have a bright idea....

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	21. Drop The Game (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 21: Drop The Game (Part 1)

* * *

  
Before Donna left work, her boss asked her who the young man was that was always waiting outside the shop.

Normally, Donna wasn’t immediately flustered when it came to questions like that. But when she was asked, everything about the question made her heat up. She didn’t know how to answer that question, and she hadn’t seen the “young man” since she visited Tony and Steve.

Donna didn’t feel like she knew him at all. She told her boss that he was just a friend, but people gossip. Several of her co-workers asked if he was her boyfriend, and Donna told them that he wasn’t.

He very much wasn’t.

Donna went about her normal routine of closing up the small shop. She placed the keys in her bag, and her co-worker always walked in the opposite direction. Then, just like always, “Bucky” got out of his car and joined her on the sidewalk.

It had been four days. Donna only worked on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. She looked at the person that randomly had two women in his apartment, and she slowly started walking toward her fancy home.

They couldn’t figure out how to get Stephen back. He was not within their reach. Tony and Steve had ways of finding him, but they said that he was in a dimension that they could not enter.

Tony Stark was very resourceful, he mentioned that he had the ability to monitor the perimeter of the dimension that Stephen was in.

Their plan was to wait for him to exit Agamotto’s dimension, then they would ambush him, and hopefully bring him home. Donna couldn’t stop thinking about it. Being at work helped her momentarily forget, but she really missed her big brother.

Donna wanted him home. She glanced at the person that was walking beside her, and she remained unsure about what to say. She still felt a sting from what she witnessed, and she also felt very stupid.

“I don’t really need an update on Stephen anymore, so..”

Donna spoke softly, and Bucky looked in her direction. Yeah, he was a bit out of the loop when it came to Stephen Strange. That wasn’t why he was there, of course.

Bucky watched where he was walking, and he tried not to look at that skirt. Donna wore one that had copper flowers. She was wearing tights, and interesting shoes.

He wasn’t sure what to say, so he just kept walking. Donna stopped walking. She needed to clear up a few things. Bucky took a few steps forward. He un-gracefully stopped, and turned around.

He stared at Donna, and started taking in very slow breath.

“Who is your employer? And, how much do you get paid to do what you do?”

She needed to know, and she didn’t mind waiting for the response. Donna crossed her arms, and she started looking at his light jean jacket. The young woman brought her eyes upward, and she stopped at his face.

Bucky was looking at her, but he stopped and quickly looked away.

“I am employed by Howard Stark. His punk son is named Tony.”

Remember him? Bucky pointed at the Stark building. He answered half of her question, and she kept staring at all the pretty lights. Donna retained that information, and then she asked the other part of it again.

“How much does he pay you?”

“Too much.”

“Well, how much would it cost for you to stop?”

Donna spoke with conviction. She felt very stupid, and she really didn’t want to see him. In her mind, he had a million girlfriends, and she didn’t have any time for that. She was guarded, just like Stephen.

Bucky heard her last question, and he really wasn’t surprised. He kept looking at Donna. His eyes stopped at her fancy jewelry, but he really wanted to keep looking at her beautiful face. He was pretty captivated for moment there.

“A lot.”

Bucky’s salary was enormous, and he wasn’t going to stop walking her home. He turned to his right and he looked at the path that was ahead of them. Donna took in a deep breath, because she didn’t like his response.

“You don’t need to keep me updated on my brother, so you can tell your..”

“I have other reasons to be here Donna. This isn’t Nebraska, and you obviously don’t get that.”

He looked at her fancy purse. Bucky knew that some asshole would go for that bag in a heartbeat. He also knew that someone would go for her in an heartbeat too, if he wasn’t walking with her.

Donna immediately looked offended by what he said. She was aware that it wasn’t Nebraska, and she held an irritated expression. She wanted to bring up the girlfriend thing, or tell him to go to hell.

She decided against it, and she just turned to her left. She started walking again, and Bucky followed along. She wanted to ask him about the two women. Maybe they were his sisters?

Cousins? Classmates? They really didn’t seem like classmates. Donna almost bit her lip. She swallowed all of her thoughts, and she kept moving forward.

“So uhh, do you have any siblings?”

The walk wasn’t that far, but they always spent that time talking about Stephen. He wasn’t the topic for once, so Donna thought of the next best thing. Bucky glanced at her, and he answered.

“I have three siblings. A brother named Richard, another brother named John, and a sister named Rebecca. But, they are back in 1938.”

Bucky was the oldest sibling, just like Stephen Strange. He thought about them off and on, but he was never the type that stuck around. Donna was shocked.

Based off his behavior, Donna thought that be was both an orphan, and an only child or something. She was extra shocked about them being in 1938? Say what?

“How, wait. What do you mean?”

Their walking pace was pretty slow. Bucky glanced at her face, then he put his hands in his jacket pocket. He only meant what he said. Bucky sorta shrugged, as he tried to explain.

“Steve Rogers and I are from 1938. We’re not originally from this time. My siblings live in Brooklyn, but they are back in the past.”

Donna immediately formed a million different questions in her head. She wondered how any of that was possible. They started walking again, and she began to wonder why he wasn’t with his siblings.

“You left them?”

“I left them. Yes. They’d be mad at me if I didn’t.”

Bucky thought of his crossover between the past to the future as a form of service. He came from a military family, and they all knew what he was doing.

“I was preparing to join the military, but getting Steve Rogers here came up instead. I joined him. They understand.”

Bucky didn’t even have to tell them. His family didn’t work that way, and he didn’t feel like explaining anything more.

Her home was approaching, and Donna wanted to keep asking him questions. She really wanted to know him, and understand what all of that meant. They got to the garage, and she looked up toward her apartment.

She could see that Victor was there, and her young heart started beating quickly. She was very attracted to James, or ...Bucky. She wasn’t sure what to call him.

Donna almost asked him if he was hungry, but she decided against it. She didn’t want to invite him into the apartment anymore. The stupidity that she felt was way too thick.

“I really do hope you get your brother back. Steve told me your plan.”

The safest conversation was always about Stephen. Bucky knew that Donna’s brother hated him, but what else was new. He decided to change her focus, because she always asked him to go upstairs.

Bucky wanted to avoid that. He saw her smile, and noticed that what he told Donna seemed to brighten her up a little. The not-so-winter soldier told her that he’d see her tomorrow, and then he left.

Donna closed the garage door, and she slowly headed up to the apartment. Victor was playing a video game. He was very invested in it, but he still acknowledged his sister when she walked in.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	22. Drop The Game (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 22: Drop The Game (Part 2)

* * *

  
Bucky and Steve were on their way to an office that belonged to a man named Nick Fury. They met an older version of him long ago, but that was never up for discussion.

They approached a door and Steve hopped to it. He opened it, and held it open for Bucky. The blonde was used to doing that, and he saw the sarcastic look on Bucky’s face.

Steve had a gentle smile, and he kept holding that door open. Bucky wasn’t used to someone opening the door for him, but he knew how Steve was.

“Tony must love that.”

Bucky held a small grin, and he slowly walked through the open door. Steve followed and he thought about the comment. His relationship with Tony did have him opening doors. Bucky’s opinion made his smile stretch up a little more.

“He does.”

Steve spoiled the heck out of Tony, and he felt spoiled in other ways. Steve didn’t really wanna think about those other ways, because his face and hands were already getting warm.

Bucky mentioned that he wasn’t surprised, and he gave a small laugh. They finally reached the office, and the gentle commentary between them settled down. Fury was waiting for the two of them, and there were a few other people in the room.

Steve only took on small missions. He wasn’t acquainted with everyone, but it seemed like everyone knew him. They always greeted him as if he was familiar. Steve never got used to it, and he just smiled through it.

When Bucky and Steve entered the room, Fury stood up. He told them about several H.Y.D.R.A. nests, and how important it was to flush them out.

“You two are on an odd schedule, so we’re sending you in first.”

Nick Fury turned on some giant screen, and everyone looked at what was on display. Odd schedule? Steve’s face formed a pretty confused look. Bucky saw it immediately, and he leaned toward him a little and explained.

“They only get us until Friday. I’m not available on the weekends, and I figured you wouldn’t want to be either.”

Bucky quietly explained, then he watched the H.Y.D.R.A. recap on the screen. Steve was puzzled only for a moment. He remembered a small detail that he overheard between Tony and Donna.

Bucky walked her home, and Steve’s confused expression slipped away. A mischievous grin slowly formed, and he kept his focus on Bucky.

Sooooo, we’re not available on weekends? Okie dokie. That boiled down the timeframe for Steve. Bucky’s behavior was hard to follow, and that blonde was curious. He turned his entire focus toward the screen.  


Bucky didn’t know that he knew, and Steve intended to keep it that way.

~~~~~——~~~~~

Tony was home alone for around ten seconds. He got bored pretty quickly, so he immediately figured out something to do.

Steve was out working and being adorable, while Tony refused to “get a job”. He didn’t care about any of that, and he fully intended to either build cool shit or just make music.

He almost had an entire song composed at that point. Tony didn’t sing with it, but he had some words mixed in with the track. He just... did whatever.

The fiery brunette caught onto something while he was lonely in his apartment, and it caused him to immediately call Donna and Victor Strange.

He asked them if they were busy. They both said that they weren’t. Tony formed a portal, and he knocked on the apartment door. Victor opened it, and Donna watched Tony walk inside.

He had never been inside Stephen’s place, but it didn’t feel like his presence was there at all. Tony glanced around, and he heard Donna ask him what he wanted.

She was extra icy toward him. That little chat they had at the Sanctum Sanctorum rubbed her a bit in the wrong way. Tony spun where he stood, and he looked at the ever so elegant/very-alive/female-version of Stephen Strange, and he smiled.

“You know how I’ve been monitoring the realm of light?”

“Yes.”

“Agamotto’s dimension?”

“Yes.”

“Stephen’s new play-place?”

“...yes.”

“Yeah. He’s not leaving it.”

................

Ok? Donna wanted to roll her eyes. That information wasn’t helpful, and she didn’t know why Tony bothered to come over. Victor was watching their conversation, and he kept moving about. He was in the middle of his video game, and he was stuck between going or staying.

If the information about Stephen was useful, Victor didn’t want to miss it. If the info was bogus, then... he wanted to rush back to his game. Donna was aware of that. She glanced at Victor, and then she gave Tony an unamused sigh.

“Tony, I know he’s not leaving it. That’s why you’re monitoring it.”

Donna crossed her arms, as Tony started looking at some adorable pictures. He picked up one photo that had all three siblings. They all looked so young and cute. Tony noticed that Stephen looked very happy.

He looked at ease, and loved. Tony couldn’t stop staring at his smile. He remembered seeing that smile several times. Tony had to draw it out of him, but ...

He saw it.

“You’re right. I’m monitoring it right now. He’s not budging, but his tinker bell princess is.”

Tony set down the photograph and he slowly looked over at Donna. Victor stopped fidgeting about, and he sucked in a deep breath. Donna un-crossed her arms, as Tony’s demeanor became a little more serious.

“Do you want to have a chat with his precious little pixie?”

Clea had just vacated Agamotto’s dimension. Tony wanted to know if they were interested in talking to her. He planned to go no matter what, but he had to ask his siblings first.

Oh, Donna very much wanted to speak to the young woman that suddenly wooshed away with her brother. She had no clue who that magical person was, and she answered yes immediately.

Tony gave a sly little grin, and he looked toward the younger man of the house. Victor Strange said that he needed to save his game and get his shoes, but he was ready to go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	23. Drop The Game (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 23: Drop The Game (Part 3)

* * *

  
Clea was speaking with a fascinating creature called Paradox. She had allies in the Dark Dimension, and Paradox patrolled with a group that were called the “Midnight Sons.”

They protected her, and intended to make sure that Stephen had a smooth transition into the Sorcerer Supreme.

The group tried to overthrow Dormammu many times while she was asleep in the dark. Clea was told about them when she took Stephen to meet her father.

Paradox had a void for a face, and he stood three times taller than Clea. She thanked him for getting rid of some mindless, and then she sat down on some debris.

Her world defied gravity. It didn’t follow any gravitational law, and there was nothing in it that resembled Stephen’s world.

Clea thought about that every now and then. She also kept thinking about something that Stephen said to her before she left. Paradox asked her if she needed anything else from him, and his voice brought her out of the thought.

Clea told him that she needed nothing, and she gave him a kind smile. Paradox went back to his patrol, and Clea continued sitting on a fragment of some dark rock.

It was floating, and Tony suddenly appeared. He brought Stephen’s siblings with him, and that suit caught Clea’s attention immediately.

She looked up from her thoughts, and stared at the flash of orange that entered her realm. She didn’t like that suit, and she thought it was dangerous.

Donna couldn’t believe where she was. Everything was floating around, and dark. She looked around for a moment, and then she stared at the woman that took off with Stephen.

Donna couldn’t stop looking at her. She was trying her best to understand exactly what she was looking at. Clea was cosmic. She had soft white hair. It settled just passed her shoulders, and everything else reminded Donna of a purple gemstone.

Clea moved a little. She turned her head slightly and Donna noticed that her skin was very different. It looked illuminated. The sister thought that she seemed graceful, and very poised. 

Victor spoke first. He took a few steps further than the other two, and he said hello. Clea kept sitting, and she smiled at him. She thought Stephen’s brother was adorable.

She remembered what he said to Stephen, and it still moved her in that moment. Clea’s focus turned to the other two people that were invading her dimension.

Tony said nothing. He planned to have the siblings talk to her, and his plan was to just facilitate and listen. He currently didn’t have the words for Stephen’s tinker bell princess, and he was just gathering info.

“We want our brother back. He’s been gone for months. We’re prepared to challenge Agamotto if we have to.”

Baby Victor wasn’t bluffing. He wanted Stephen home, and the youngest sibling was ready to scrap. His cute little fighting gloves were officially coming off, and Tony was amused. He watched that teenager make his declaration.

Clea crossed one ankle over the other, and she placed most of her weight onto her hands. She studied the three of them, and maintained her smile.

“Agamotto is teaching him. Stephen does not know how much time has passed for you, in your world.”

She wasn’t sure how much information to give them. Clea was also navigating Stephen’s emotions, and Agamotto’s temper. The two of them were upset with one another, and Stephen’s mind and body kept getting hurt.

Clea did not want to discourage a possible encounter between Stephen’s siblings and Agamotto, but she also didn’t want to give them any false hope.

“Can’t you just tell him to come home, or is he a prisoner?”

Donna was worried. She felt a great deal of anxiety rise up within her when she thought about the entity, Agamotto. That thing haunted her...

“Stephen is not a prisoner, but I don’t think he understands that. He allows Agamotto to overpower him.”

“...SO, TELL HIM TO STOP.”

Donna raised her voice. In her mind, Stephen coming home was an easy fix. She figured that Clea could just clue Stephen in on the full situation, then presto. She did not want to see Agamotto ever again.

Clea brought her head closer to her right shoulder, and then she uncrossed her feet. Tony was watching her body language. She seemed pretty chill, and unaffected by Donna’s demand.

Tinker bell was a sassy little thing,Tony could tell. It seemed like she was hanging out with Stephen a bit too much.

“He will stop, when he is ready. Agamotto is very strict with him. I’ve been healing him, and trying to help him through it.”

Clea decided to stand up. She pushed the debris away from her legs, and she stretched up to her full height. Donna’s posture strengthened as well, and she roughly crossed her arms. She really only had one final question for the woman that was helping and “healing” her brother.

“And so.... why exactly are you doing that?”

Donna waited for her response, but Tony focused on it a little more than her. He was convinced that the two of them were already together. They seemed very meant-to-be when they interacted at the Kamar taj.

Tony still felt that jealous sting, and he remembered when Stephen wouldn’t shut up about her. Tony’s instincts about Clea and Stephen were always correct, and the response he heard didn’t surprise him at all.

“I believe in your world, I am called his wife. I take care of him, and we bond our magic in many dimensions.”

Tony heard that, and he brought his focus downward. Yup. He knew that it wouldn’t take them that long. He felt a pretty hefty weight build up in his chest, and he suddenly felt very over the meeting. Donna’s voice made him snap back in the moment.

“NO YOU ARE NOT.”

Her brother was NOT married. Donna officially heard that lie and snapped. Victor and Tony both had their eyebrows raised upward. Donna was pretty pissed, while Clea seemed unaffected. She didn’t have siblings, and any sort of family life was foreign for her.

She didn’t understand Donna’s behavior, so she gave Stephen’s sister a hard look.

“I am his wife. We don’t have a term for it in my world.”

Clea repeated and asserted her title, but she didn’t feel like explaining anything more. Their union was just between her and Stephen.

Clea did not want to speak about it again. She would not explain herself to anyone, ever. Her body language clearly indicated that she was no longer interested in the discussion.

Donna had much more to say to her, but she decided to wait for her damn brother to successfully get a clue. Her gloves finally came off, and she spoke sternly to Clea.

“We are taking Stephen back the instant he leaves that realm. You can either help us accomplish that, or get out of the way.”

Donna repeated the same exact gesture that she made when she was in front of Agamotto. She pressed her arms back, and the dark dimension completely disappeared. She was very upset to hear that Stephen was “married” to some surreal looking woman that she didn’t even know.

She thought about how much it would upset their mother. They took marriage very seriously, I mean..... It was just too much. Donna didn’t expect that at all. She ditched Victor and Tony. Donna brought them back to the apartment, and then she went straight to her room.

Victor rubbed the side of his head, while Tony just blankly stared. He was very affected by the news as well, but he did his best not to show it.

“Wanna play DOOM?”

Victor wanted to get back to his video game. He liked Clea, and his brother being married to her was something that he needed to process. Tony looked over at Stephen’s baby brat brother.

“Uhh, yeah. Sure.”

The news about Stephen friggen crushed his soul again, so he decided that he could not head back to the apartment. The brunette knew that Steve wasn’t home, and he really didn’t want to be alone.   


Tony gave Victor a small smile, then he watchedthat energetic teen run off toward the living room.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	24. Drop The Game (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 24: Drop The Game (Part 4)

* * *

  
Tony felt like he wore out his welcome over at Stephen’s apartment. He went to the kitchen to get something to drink, and he saw another picture of the siblings again.

Victor was super young in the photo. Stephen had him on his back, and Donna was hugging her older brother tightly. They looked very close, and their smiles made Tony stir around in his skin.

He needed to leave, and think.

Tony said goodbye to Victor, and he retreated to the apartment that he shared with Steve. He hated it when it was empty.

He went to his workroom. Most of it was cleared out, because the space was mainly filled up with Tony’s tech.

His technology was entirely microscopic. It built upon itself, and expanded outward when he wanted it to. Tony barely had any physical objects in his work space.

He walked into the center of the room, and his creative world ballooned out. It quickly formed around him, and Tony started moving his fingers.

The music he had been working on filled the room as soon as he started moving. His progress was saved, just like the video game that Victor showed him. Tony never played games like that.

He just built shit, and in that moment he was building another song. Tony was working on his second recording, and it amused him to think of it as an album.

Steve always encouraged what he was doing. Because that blonde was supportive, Tony started doing it more often than before. At first he felt like he was wasting time. His father worked every single friggen minute of the day, and Tony felt like he was supposed to live up to that in some sense.

Baby Tony didn’t operate that way. He didn’t want to, and it didn’t feel right. He had way too much on his mind, so he got to things when he could.

Tony re-played the notes that he recorded several times, and he chewed on what happened between Clea and Donna.

It was such a heated exchange, and it felt like Donna became a different person for a moment. Tony tried not to think about the marriage thing, and he just focused on what was ahead.

A showdown throw down between Agamotto and Stephen’s siblings seemed scary, but Tony assured himself that he and Steve would tip the scale in their favor.

Tony also recognized that everyone wanted a piece of Stephen as soon as he friggen returned. He thought that it was extremely selfish to sorta wedge himself in the mix.

Tony figured that it was best and easier to just retract himself from the equation entirely. That thought made him stop playing out a tune, and he blankly stared at one of his screens.

If he just removed himself, he wondered what everyone would do. Tony played out several scenarios in his head. His parents would just do what they always did, and Steve would eventually move on. Bucky would even help him accomplish that.

Stephen would just focus on his family, or his pretty Tinker Bell wife. Tony didn’t feel like he was really needed in the equation at all.

He thought about that for a bit, and then he went back to constructing his silly little tune.

A part of his screen started blinking. Tony saw it fire up toward the left side of his hand. He was receiving a video call, but the numbers on it were jumbled. The information on the call was all scrambled up.

That had never happened before, so Tony hesitated. He eventually answered the call and the screen expanded in front of him. Baby Tony saw his older self, and he swallowed down a few of his thoughts.

“Uhh, whatcha doin?”

“I’m..”

What was he doing? Baby Tony freaked for a sec. He looked down at his hands, and then he slowly brought up his shoulders.

“I’m making a song.”

“Oh groovy. It felt like you were brooding.”

The older Tony kept tabs on his baby self. They all kept tabs on the younglings, and they thought about them all the time.

Big Tony intentionally kept quiet. He planned to hear what was really going on, but he knew that it would take some time for the little egg to crack open.

Baby Tony held a small smile. He kept looking at his technology, then he brought his focus up to his older self.

“I’m doing a little bit of both.”

He was glad that his older self called him. Baby Tony held his smile, and he noticed that his older self had two scars on his face. He looked all... scruffed up.

“What happened?”

Baby Tony pointed at his face. His older self touched one of the scars that stretched from his eye to his ear. He had forgotten about it at that point, so he gave a soft laugh.

“I’ve become a bit of a multiverse fugitive. Word got out that I am in control of the Infinity Stones, so I am always under some sort of threat.”

Big Tony was always on the run. Death was constantly at his door, but he had to take the time to talk to his baby self. He looked so young and cute. The older Tony was happy to see him.

“The older Steve is a complete basket case about it, but ehh, what can ya do?”

The older brunette brought his hands up into the screen. He gave a playful shrug, and the younger Tony’s smile got warmer. He liked the idea of being a fugitive, and he saw a few scars on his arm.

When you go, you go. Both versions of Tony understood that, but one of them was still holding back. He wasn’t living his life as if it could end in a second, and that was ok.

The older Tony wasn’t there to lecture him, or remind him about some upcoming fate. He just popped in to see how he was, then go from there.

“Wanna hear what I’ve made so far?”

Baby Tony only wanted to focus on that. He didn’t want to talk about what was on his mind. Luckily, his musical endeavor was becoming something that spelled it out for all to hear.

His older self was happy to hear what his younger self cooked up, and he had all the time in the world for him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	25. Drop The Game (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 25: Drop The Game (Part 5) 

* * *

Bucky was in a bit of a rush. It took the S.H.I.E.L.D. calvary way too long to tap him and Steve off the field. Steve noticed how rushed he was to get back to New York, but the almost-soldier said nothing.

Steve kept to himself as they journeyed back, then the two of them went their separate ways when they got back to base. 

Apparently, Bucky had a hot date? Steve was amused with what he was witnessing, and he packed up his bag. They spent four days out in H.Y.D.R.A. territory, and now Steve was ready to head home.

Bucky made it to Donna’s work, and he even had an umbrella. It was technically his umbrella, but he bought it and brought it just in case she didn’t have one.

Donna was more prepared for the rain than Bucky thought, because her black umbrella was the first thing that he saw. She opened it as soon as she left the shop, and another fancy skirt met his eyes when she turned to lock the door.

She noticed the person that always walked her home, but she said goodbye to her co-worker instead. That co-worker made a gesture, and Donna did everything she could to ignore it.

The people at her work were encouraging her to behave differently towards her “friend”. They assumed he was walking her home because he wanted to be with her, but Donna refused to tell them that he did it for money.

She was clearly just a paycheck, and he had other ...interests. Donna did her very best to keep that thought out of her mind, and she ignored the gesture completely.

Bucky didn’t notice the co-worker at all. He didn’t care about their gossipy shit, and he kept looking at her fancy clothes. She was wearing a dark grey top, a dark jacket, and a gold belt. Her skirt was dark blue, and he noticed the tights that covered her legs were almost solid black. 

He couldn’t see her skin through them, and he started looking in a different direction. Bucky noticed that he was staring at her, and he told himself to cool it.

Since Donna randomly showed up at Steve’s door, Bucky had avoided his random encounters with women. He had no visitors whatsoever at his place, and he also tried to avoid smoking. The not-so-winter-soldier really wanted a cigarette in that moment. 

He also wanted something else, but Bucky refrained. 

Donna said hello to him, and asked him if he was going to use his umbrella. He had it in his hand, but the light rain was covering his denim jacket.

Bucky looked down at his clothes, and he shook himself out of his thoughts. Right.. he planned to use the umbrella. He told himself that he did not bring it for her.

He popped it open, and just started walking forward. Donna slowly followed, and she thought about asking him how he was. He seemed a little different that evening, and Donna was unsure how to proceed.

She cleared the anger toward her brother out of her mind, but she fully intended to call him out when she saw him. Donna didn’t want to talk to “Bucky” about her brother any longer. She kept looking at him as they walked toward the apartment.

They just kept going, and Donna started looking down the crossing streets. When they got to the third street, the young woman decided to turn left. Bucky’s eyes flared open wide, and he quickly looked in the direction where Donna was headed.

That wasn’t the correct way. She was changing the route. A wave of fear washed over Bucky because.....

.......yeah, he started inwardly freaking out. Donna kept walking, and she looked very rebellious as he caught up to her last step. She immediately smiled when she looked at him, and it made Bucky glance away.

“I’m not going home tonight. Hope you don’t mind?”

She kept her smile going, and her pace remained the same. Bucky struggled to walk for a second. He started feeling very nervous, and he failed to respond to her. Donna needed to go home. Bucky didn’t feel ready for what was suddenly happening on their weekly walk.

Well, that hesitation was NOT Donna’s problem. She didn’t want to go home, and it was up to everyone else to adapt. She stepped out onto a part of Manhattan that operated as an outdoor promenade of wonderment. 

The area around her was filled with beautiful lights and sounds. It was filled with a bustle of beautiful people, and she felt like she was officially in heaven. Donna was so happy that she turned them away from their common path. 

She looked around at all the shiny lights, and then she stopped her focus on the person that was walking her home. Bucky’s nerves were out of control because Donna’s behavior was unexpected.

He wanted to just take her home where it was safe, and not do anything else that he had on his mind. Everyone looked at him, and treated him like he was a bad person. He agreed with the looks in some ways, but he really didn’t want to hurt Donna.

Bucky convinced himself that he would break her heart. He knew that he would hurt Steve, and look what he did. He should have kept lying to him, and now all he wanted to do was lie to her. He just wanted to get her home and walk away..

It wasn’t because of Stephen either, maybe? He knew that he didn’t have Stephen’s respect, trust, or basic acknowledgment. That was all well and good. Bucky figured that could happen between them, with time? 

He surprised himself with his thoughts, and he finally tuned into where the two of them were standing. Donna was right there in front of him, and she went with the feeling in her gut.

She gently stepped toward James, and pulled his face forward. Donna thought about kissing him, so she decided just to do it.

They both held their umbrellas, but Bucky almost dropped his. Donna’s advance took him by surprise, but he stepped into it and slowly gave in. He returned her kiss for a short while, but then he forced himself back as soon as he could.

Bucky immediately wanted to leave, and Donna could tell. She took his backward step to heart, and so she started messing with her bag. It was set on her shoulder, and she moved it a few times. An awkward silence moved in, and Donna could hardly bear it.

“I don’t want you walking me home anymore. You don’t really need to, and I’m not afraid of being robbed.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. Donna wanted something else to happen, but she started thinking that she made a mistake. Her body was burning up, so she had to start walking in order to cool herself down.

Bucky snapped out of the state of shock that he entered, and he quickly followed behind her. He stopped when she stopped, and he kept staring at her face. The young man was deeply hooked on what was happening, but he kept denying himself the opportunity.

“James, why are you following me?”

Donna wanted the truth. She said that he didn’t need to walk her home, but it had become something more than that. Bucky didn’t want to admit it, but he walked her home because he wanted to.

Howard never paid him to inform Donna about her brother. His “employer” had no idea that he was even there. Bucky was never paid to walk her home either, but he kept telling her that he was.

Bucky lied to her, just like he lied to Steve. The idea of not lying scared him, so he just stood silent. Donna waited for him to answer. She waited a little while longer, then she started heading back toward their common path.

Bucky took in a slow breath, and he quietly followed her home.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	26. Back To The Sky (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 26: Back To The Sky (Part 1)

* * *

  
Steve walked toward his apartment door, and he was glad to hear music. He also heard a musical beat come to an abrupt stop, and a pretty loud laugh.

He opened up the apartment door, and heard the sound of two different people. Tony had a visitor, and Steve put his keys in the bowl.

Baby Tony’s ears perked up when he heard those keys. He laughed earlier because his older self was telling him about a time when all of his things were thrown out of Steve’s apartment.

The older Steve packed all his shit up, and put it in storage. The story made the younger Tony laugh. It was hard for him to imagine his Steve doing that, but he was glad to know that it was a possibility.

The two of them stopped chatting, because a very sweet blonde walked in the room. Steve saw pizza, and soda pop. He smiled at the two, but his full focus turned toward Baby Tony.

“Hello Tony."

“Heya Steve.

Steve saw a very cute grin. He also noticed that the younger Tony had pizza on his face, and it seemed like he hadn’t slept.

"How are you?"

Dawww... such cuteness. The older Tony watched the familiar exchange between the two of them. He watched his younger self playfully say that he was fine, then he asked Steve how he was. Steve was very good. He said that he used his suit, and the younger Tony started babbling. 

He became flustered about that suit, and started saying that he completed another song. Baby Tony started confessing that the time went by really quickly, and he had no idea that it was Friday night. 

Steve seemed at ease with that, and it made the older Tony want to return home.

He hadn’t seen his main man in a long while. He stepped more into view, and gave Baby Steve a small wave. He hugged his younger self, and said that he would see them around. 

The older Tony returned to his dimension, where he was being hunted just like Thanos. It was predicted that he would either become the “New Mandarin” or Thanos like after all of his adventures, but the older Tony just did his thing.

He was gone in an instant, and he left the younger couple behind with their thoughts. They both were looking at the space where he disappeared, then they eventually looked at one another.

Steve said hello again, and Tony stepped over toward him. He gave Steve a hug, and he pressed his face against his warm shirt. Steve always smelled good, and Tony almost laughed at his thought.

The blonde looked down at Tony’s hair, and he asked him about his song. OH YEAH. Tony remembered exactly what he forgot. He stepped back a bit, and looked up at Steve. 

“Before all the music, I took Donna and Victor to talk to Clea. She left Agamotto’s dimension, and they had a little chat.”

Oh? Steve blinked a couple times, because he didn’t expect an update like that. Tony was in his arms, and he looked down at him. He wondered when that dilemma would come back again.

Steve was still pretty quiet about Stephen. He hadn’t given Tony a response about him at all, but that wasn’t what was on Tony’s mind. He was more or less concerned about what Donna said to Clea.

“Victor and Donna are intending to challenge Agamotto, and I think Donna is possessed by someone else. She told Clea to either help, or get out of the way. Crazy huh?”

Tony thought that it was. Donna obviously didn’t know that much about the Mystic Arts, but there she was making demands. Tony had a feeling that someone else was at play.

He felt Steve’s hands on his arms. They moved a little as he took a slow step. The blonde just stepped more into their embrace, and he gave Tony gentle kiss.

Tony returned it, and he exhaled out all of his nerves. His energy was all over the place, and he awkwardly brought up a whole bunch of random stuff. Tony felt a little stupid for doing that, so he just kissed Steve until he heard his voice.

The would-be-soldier told Tony that he missed him, and he was glad that Donna spoke to Clea. In his opinion it was long overdue, and he mentioned that everything was going to be fine.

Steve just had a feeling that it would be ok, so the situation received a small shrug. Tony wanted to already know HOW it would be ok, so he struggled a little with Steve’s comment.

“I feel like Stephen will be back pretty soon.”

Then, they would cross over the next bridge. Steve didn’t want to think about that bridge for a while. He smiled at Tony, and mentioned that he had pizza on his face.

Whu, whuu, wait. Hold up. Steve took his yummy bag that he had all packed and he started walking it toward their room. Tony kinda breezed after him, and he kept watching his behavior.

Nothing felt “off” about Steve, but he seemed way too calm about the conversation. Tony just chomped on his lip, as Steve started unpacking his stuff. The blonde slowly smiled, when Tony’s goofy face poked into his view.

Yeah, whut?

“You seem way too chill....”

Tony just had to say it. He didn’t know what Steve was so chill about. The would-be-soldier flashed his focus in Tony’s direction, but then he returned it to his perfectly packed bag.

“I’m just saying it will be an easy situation to resolve, when it’s time. Then, Stephen will be back.”

What was there to not be “chill” about? Steve gave another shrug, and Tony saw it as odd. Oh it was aaallllll reading as odd for him now. It also felt like he was approaching a danger zone, so Tony began to tread carefully.

Wait, fuck that.

“And when he does “return” will the situation continue to be on easy street, like you are expressing?”

Steve seemed pretty relaxed and easy going when he talked about Stephen. Tony never even mentioned his name, because his focus was on what happened with Donna. STEVE dropped his name twice.

And there was something else in the way he was saying Stephen would be back. Tony got closer to him, and he watched him unpack those socks. How in the actual fuck were they already clean?

Tony wondered if he did his laundry at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base of lame. His nose was all scrunched up, until Steve kissed him on the cheek.

“Why wouldn’t it be on easy street? Stephen will be home with his siblings, and that will be that.”

That will be that. Tony sucked in the deepest breath that he ever mustered up in his life. Some cautionary, and extremely dangerous road signs kept flashing up in his mind. But, Tony was very young and dumb. He had to know what Steve was thinking, and he had to keep pushing buttons.

Pushing buttons could have led to actual answers, or....

Oh, Tony felt pretty nervous. The next button was right in front of his face. He saw the question in his mind, and he was so close to pushing it. Awwhhhhhhh shit stickssssss. He tried his best not to do it, but he needed to know and push the red button.

“Does easy street, consist of.. uhmm, consist?”

Psfffhhuuyaaaaahd$:826:)28,$2?isieheiwz(-!!!!// Tony couldn’t ask him jack shit. That button could not be pushed under any circumstance. Because of Bucky’s bitchass comments, Tony had to confess that he loved Steve and Stephen.

Steve Rogers went dark on the subject. The man was completely silent. That horrified Tony to the core, because his commitment to that hadn’t changed. Stephen Strange was even married now to his pixie princess.

That didn’t change what Tony felt toward anyone. Now he was just freaking out. Steve put all his stuff away, and he did wash them at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base. The technology there was insane, and Steve’s clothes had never been cleaner.

He looked at Tony and his inward mess. Steve knew exactly what he was spazzing out about, but he didn’t know WHY.

“I want to know what happened between you and Stephen. You’ve never told me, and he will be back soon.”

It wasn’t going to be “easy street” between them at all, until Steve had all the facts. Tony immediately swallowed his stomach. He just stared at Steve, and debated a long jump out of the apartment window.

What happened with, Stephen? Steve was looking very expectant for an answer. He gave Tony all the information that he needed about Bucky. Well, Steve expected the same courtesy. Especially if Tony was expecting him to believe that he could love two people at once.

Steve kept looking at him. He slowly removed his t-shirt, and went to his dresser to retrieve some clothes for sleep. 

Tony gave a long exhale out into the room because he didn’t even know where to begin with Stephen. He just closed his eyes, and took it from the top.

“We met at the X-Mansion. We shared the room..”

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 


	27. Back To The Sky (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 27: Back To The Sky (Part 2)

* * *

Clea returned to Agamotto’s dimension. She searched for Stephen as soon as she arrived, and she thought about the visitors that showed up on her door step.

The discussion with Stephen’s sister bothered her. Clea didn’t like her attitude, or the doubt that she had about their marriage. That actually aggravated the young ruler of the dark. 

She peered into the room that she shared with Stephen and Agamotto, but she saw no one in it. She kept looking, until Stephen was finally in sight. He was standing beside a stream of water, and it looked like he was letting the water run over his head. She could also see bruises all over his body.

She made her way over to him, and she asked if he was done for the day. He kept listening to the flow of the water. It covered his head, because it felt like his mind was on fire. It also helped him tune everything out.

Clea’s voice made it through the water, and Stephen glanced in her direction. He wasn’t sure if he was done, but he had been thrown around the dimension for hours. 

He brought his head out of the water, and he made an attempt to fix his hair. 

“I’m not sure.”

“Are you alone?”

Clea wasn’t sure if Agamotto was in his body. She had to double check. The young ruler kept looking at Stephen‘s body. He was partially covered with his dark pants, but she always liked to see his skin. 

He was not wearing a shirt, and she smiled.

“I am alone. He said that he needed to contemplate my idiocy.”

Agamotto thought that he was superior to every passing person or thought. Well, Stephen thought that he could be pretty damn stupid as well. Agamotto got on his last nerve.

Clea just held her smile, and she fixed his hair a little. She thought Stephen was very handsome, and she knew how he normally had his hair. 

Her eyes settled on all the bruises for a moment. Stephen stepped away from the water, and the two of them headed to the room that they shared. He needed some warm clothes.

“I saw your siblings today. They showed up in my dimension, with one of your friends. The one in the orange suit?”

Stephen stopped short. Tony? He looked over at Clea as he entered the room, and he processed what she said. An orange suit clearly meant Tony. His emotions were finally his, and now Stephen was in a state of debate. 

He was glad that she saw his siblings, so he decided to only comment on them.

“Did you talk to them?”

“Yes. They want you home, and I told them you will go back when you are ready.”

Clea didn’t want to mention anything else. She wasn’t going to say anything about their plans to encounter Agamotto. She wanted him to just focus on returning home. Clea intended to help them, and her first step was getting him out of that realm.

“Why would I, go back?”

Stephen was teasing her with his comment. He wanted to go home to his siblings, but something currently didn’t feel right.

He put a shirt on when he entered the room, and Clea wasn’t too happy about that. She turned her head to the side and refused to answer his question.

He knew exactly why he needed to go back. The almost-sorcerer-supreme was fully dressed. He gently touched Clea’s wrist, and he pulled her close to him. She started touching his arms, and focused on one of the bruises.

“Did you talk to Tony?”

Stephen suddenly became curious. Clea looked up from his bruise and she gave him a puzzled look. Did she talk to, who? Clea didn’t know Tony by his name. She barely interacted with him at the Kamar taj.

“The person in the orange suit. His name is Tony. Did he talk to you?”

The curiosity continued. It strengthened a little more, because Clea shook her head no. 

“Why would he talk to me?”

She had to ask. Stephen just closed his eyes for a moment. He remembered every emotion that he fought to hold onto. He knew that he needed to explain what happened with Tony at some point.

Clea dropped the question. She moved in while his eyes were closed, and Stephen allowed Clea’s advance. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and asked him if they could kiss.

Of course they could. Stephen didn’t know why she asked for permission. He smiled at her, and gently gave her a nod of approval.

~~~~—-~~~~

Over inBrooklyn, Tony took Steve through every little thing that happened between him and Stephen. He explained that he slept in his bed after the fire alarm, and then he went to Stephen’s room after Steve shacked up with Bucky.

Tony didn’t know that Steve went to Bucky, or how all of that developed. He just felt alone that night, so he ended up going to Stephen. Then, suddenly ....Stephen started knocking on his door. 

Something shifted between them, and Tony realized it was because Stephen knew about STEVE’s shenanigans. He never told Tony that he wanted to be with him, because of Steve. 

Thanks to STEVE, Stephen finally made a move. So... Tony brought the blonde all through that development, and he finally got to the part where Stephen asked Tony if he still needed a ride home. He still wanted to finish the silly road trip.

Steve had no idea that happened, because they agreed on him figuring things out with Bucky. Tony was feeling a little antsy about what he was telling Steve.

When he was describing Stephen’s behavior, he was afraid that it would spark a competition. He didn’t want them feuding. Plus, when he was telling Steve about what went on in the hotel, Steve started saying that he wanted to really know how it went.

Steve took over the conversation, because there were some things that he needed to know. For him, the devil was in the details. Steve was sitting on a chair in their bedroom, just like Stephen did in the hotel, and Tony was pacing around the room.

Steve kept watching Tony pace around, and he did some thinking.Apparently, Stephen Strange was making moves on Tony in their vulnerable moments. Steve was actually contemplating Stephen’s behavior, not Tony’s.

He felt like putting himself in Stephen’s shoes. He listened to everything that happened between them so far, but now he wanted to feel it. He sat in the chair, and patiently waited to feel the rest of the story.

“So, Stephen sat like this... and then what happened?”

ACKkkkkkk... Tony already talked them through the kiss that they had at the door. Now Steve wanted more details, and Tony was a mess. Tony recalled the encounter, and memory told him that he was already getting undressed.

He really went for Stephen... yeaaahhhh Tony did not hold back at all.

“I got undressed, and I sat in the chair with him.” 

Tony climbed all over that lap. He remembered everything, and the situation was making his skin buzz. Tony was boiling, and Steve still looked all chill and cool. He kept looking up at Tony, and a small smirk stretched over that face.

“Can you show me?”

Steve was officially pretending to be Stephen in that moment. Tony didn’t need to know that, and Steve didn’t intend to stop doing it. 

Tony gently bit on one side of his lip, and then he stepped over toward Steve. He wasn’t undressed, but he maneuvered onto his lap exactly like he did with Stephen. 

Tony remembered that he kissed his neck first. He went through the motions of what he did, and he started re-enacting his behavior, for Steve.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	28. Back To The Sky (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 28: Back To The Sky (Part 3)

* * *

  
Donna and Bucky arrived at the apartment. The rain died down, but the confusion and setbacks between them were still going strong.

Donna made a move on the person that kept following her, and that was the only thing that he continued to do. Bucky only followed, because he was lost in thought about Donna’s actions.

He didn’t expect her to take a different path that evening, and he definitely didn’t expect to be kissed. She silently punched in the numbers that opened up the fancy garage, and she turned her focus back to “Bucky”.

He glanced up at the apartment window, and then he looked back down at the young woman. She asked him if he was hungry, and she mentioned that it was Victor’s turn again to cook.

Bucky couldn’t believe that she asked him that. He stood there with a very bewildered look on his face. He was hungry, but he didn’t want to go upstairs.

Or.. well, he did want to go up there. But, he felt like he needed to have a conversation with Stephen first. Bucky didn’t realize how much he was staring, but he was very deep in thought.

Donna asked him what else he had planned to do after he left. She confessed that she didn’t think he had any other plans. Bucky heard what she mentioned, and he slowly said the first thought that crossed his mind.

“I don’t have any plans.”

What are plans? Bucky thought the wording was odd. He stepped up off the street, and started grinding a rock that he saw into the sidewalk.

“So, would you like something to eat?”

Donna asked him the same question, and Bucky looked up from the rock. Donna Strange was very persistent, and it made Bucky even more nervous. He read about the person that her brother was becoming.

Stephen Strange was learning to become the Sorcerer Supreme, and Bucky saw it as some sort of all-knowing super wizard. He read that Stephen would have the ability to read minds, and see into a person’s soul from other dimensions.

Bucky felt like Stephen already knew what was going on in his soul, and it really freaked him out. 

“That isn’t a good idea.”

“Why?”

Donna crossed her arms. She didn’t understand the behavior that belonged to the person that walked her home. She knew that he returned her kiss, but then he lost his nerve somewhere.

Donna remembered the two women that James had in his apartment. She was hesitant to bring them up.

The rain started picking up again as they both stood there. Donna looked up at the apartment window and she gave a small sigh. She was about to ask him if he had a girlfriend, but his voice pulled her up from the thought.

“I can go up, for a little while.”

Bucky planned to eat and run. He almost laughed at his own thought, and he took a step closer toward the garage. Donna’s eyes immediately sparked open. Her smile was enormous. Bucky heard her say OK several times, and she started leading him toward the elevator.

Victor was in the middle of a new game. He was hours into a game called Final Fantasy, when he heard his sister enter the apartment. He was very fixated with the screen until Donna mentioned that, “the kitchen is over here.”

Say what? Victor knew where the kitchen was. He paused his game and turned around. He saw Bucky inthe apartment, and his young jaw quickly fell open.

Uhhh.... whut?

WAIT WHAT?! Victor crawled over the living room couch and he headed toward the kitchen. He looked in and loudly gasped. BUCKY was in the apartment.

Donna asked him what he made for dinner, and Victor scratched the side of his head. They both looked all smoochy and weird. He completely forgot about what he made for dinner. Victor had to think for a sec....

“Oh. I only had apple juice, and goldfish.”

He completely forgot to make food. Victor gave her an innocent expression. Don’t hurt me sisterrrrr crossed his baby mind, because Donna loudly exhaled and forced open one of the cupboards.

Bucky gave Victor a small smile, and he mentioned that he could pay for pizza? That was easy, and he figured it would relieve some of Donna’s stress.

Victor noticed that he kept looking at his sister. Bucky was acting SUPER WEIRD, and Victor couldn’t close his mouth. He was perplexed, and he planned to ask his sister some things.

She agreed with the pizza idea, and opened the drawer that had the phonebook. Victor noticed those weirdo looks that she had too, and he slowly migrated his way back to his video game.

Final Fantasy was way more important. Victor didn’t wanna know anything about what Donna had going on in there. BUT, If they started making out... he planned to throw the game controller at Donna’s head, and somehow tell Stephen immediately.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	29. Back To The Sky (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 29: Back To The Sky (Part 4)

* * *

Ohhhh, Steve Rogers could tell that Stephen really wanted Tony. He knew, without a doubt, that Stephen was patiently waiting for the perfect opportunity to make his move. That move was clearly successful, because Steve was taken through it step-by-step.

They made it through the encounter on the chair, and now Steve had Tony face down on the floor. He had him just like Stephen did when they were in the hotel. Tony was so spread out on that floor for Stephen, and it was feeling almost euphoric, and lustful.

Steve concluded that Tony and Stephen were really longing for one another, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

He was only wearing his t-shirt, and he kept his thoughts to himself. Steve gripped Tony’s beautiful skin, and continued to fuck him on their bedroom floor. He pulled Tony’s hips up toward him, and Tony started feeling dizzy. 

He kept slipping in and out of the memory that he had with Stephen in the hotel, and what he was currently doing with Steve.

It was very obvious that it was Steve behind him. He slipped out of that fact a few times, but he didn’t know that it was exactly what Steve wanted from him.

They were very different people, and Tony knew how in every which way. He didn’t want it to be Steve OR Stephen, his greedy little heart wanted it to be Steve AND Stephen.

He reached back and gripped that shirt. Tony mumbled that he wanted to turn over. He told Steve that he had confessed enough. The blonde was listening, and he quickly hid his face against the back of Tony’s neck.

“He wanted you so badly... I don’t..”

Steve sucked in the rest of his thought, as he ran his hands over Tony’s body. His thought travelled down to the pit of his chest, and he stopped his actions. Tony told him to stop, and that made Steve hit the brakes. Those olive colored legs were shaking, but Tony turned himself around.

He caught onto Steve’s behavior after the chair, and he looked into those blue eyes. Tony wanted him to stop stressing. He looked at him, and roughly kissed that gold neck. Steve didn’t need to compare himself to anyone, or worry. Tony loved him so friggen much.

He said that to him, and he hugged Steve’s shoulders. That shirt was soaked, and the room was steaming hot. Tony ignored it, and said that he didn’t want them feuding. 

Competition between them felt unavoidable. Yes, Stephen wanted him. Tony couldn’t do anything to stop that. He didn’t want to stop it.

“It’s my unforeseen responsibility, navigating you two. My older self warned me, and he goes through the same thing.”

Tony tried to speak and breathe at the same time. He gave Steve another confession. It was something that he had been wanting to tell him for a while. 

The rivalry between Stephen and Steve carried over to the Vishanti entities that possessed them. Agamotto and Oshtur were always at odds, and Hoggoth was the one in the middle.

Steve didn’t hear anything more about it. He wiped his thumb over Tony’s cheek and stared at him for a while, then he gave a short sigh. Tony re-positioned them, and they locked up in a frustrated kiss. They both had some thinking to do, and the lustful encounter between them helped. 

Steve stopped pretending to be Stephen. He was in a bothered mood, because he felt like he had to watch his back around him. Stephen was just as patient as him, and just waiting for Steve to screw up. The blonde was inwardly stewing on it. 

He let Tony take over, and tried to process everything that he said.

~~~—-~~~

At the same time, Stephen was in a meditation. He was not alone in his body, and currently feeling the energy of everyone that he cared about. He knew who was where, but the circumstances of it weren’t seen.

He didn’t really need those details, and his mind settled on something else. Clea was resting on the bedding that they had on the floor. She told him earlier that she had a conversation with someone else in the Dark Dimension.

She told Stephen and Agamotto that someone name “Nightmare” rejected her rule over his part of the dimension. Clea casually mentioned that he threatened to “own her” if she returned to his domain again.

.... Stephen wasn’t feeling the comment. Clea told him that information strategically. She wasn’t lying to him. Nightmare said ignorant stuff like that all the time. She gave that information to them in order to get Stephen out of the realm of light.

His mind was searching for Nightmare. Agamotto said that putting the beast in his place was excellent practice. He located him mentally, and then he glanced over at Clea.

She was only wearing a blanket, so Stephen decided to just monitor his movements. He moved back toward Clea, and joined her on the bed. She listened to him say that he would introduce himself to Nightmare soon.

Clea could tell that it was Agamotto talking, but that worked for her. His lips touched her skin after that, and she welcomed his advance. 

The young ruler had a feeling that Stephen and Agamotto intended to go after they spent a little more time together. Clea was fine with that, and she hoped Stephen’s siblings were ready.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	30. Back To The Sky (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 30: Back To The Sky (Part 5)

* * *

  
Victor ate three pieces of pizza. He was going through the story line of Final Fantasy pretty quickly, and for some reason Donna and Bucky were watching him play.

The story and all the characters were pretty interesting, but he didn’t expect them to tune in. He glanced back at them every now and then, and wondered what the deal was.

UHMmm, why the heck was Bucky there? Victor was very confused, and he chewed on the last of the pizza that was on his plate.

Bucky thought the game was cool, but he couldn’t really follow along. He felt odd being there, but he told himself that it was better than being at home.

If he went over to Steve’s, then he felt like he was interrupting or disturbing his relationship with Tony. If he went out, he’d meet a random woman, or just drink all evening.

Thanks to the serum, Bucky couldn’t even get drunk...

He knew that he didn’t want to be alone. That was the main issue, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Also... Donna Strange wasn’t a random woman, and he was still surprised that she kissed him.

Her persistence was affecting him, so he figured that it was time to leave. The not-so-winter-soldier looked over in her direction. Her skirt was driving him crazy, and he kept looking at her lips. 

Donna was watching the video game, and trying to figure out how the gameplay worked.

The characters all politely took turns attacking one another during the battle scenes, and she thought it was the oddest thing. Victor was fighting some super boss in the game, but her interest in it was fading fast.

Donna glanced over at her guest, and she smiled at him. She didn’t mind that he was looking at her. The two of them had exchanged glances off and on. “Bucky” started putting his jacket back on, and she could tell that he was getting ready to leave. She expected that, and it made her expression fade.

She watched him stand up, and he said goodnight to Victor. Bucky’s comment made Victor turn around. He scratched the side of his head again, and said goodbye to him.

“Uhh, thanks for the pizza!”

Victor was glad for that. His grin was playful, but he quickly returned to his video game. Bucky smiled at the back of Victor’s head, and he made his way to the door.

Donna slowly followed, and she reminded him where his umbrella was. He accepted her direction, and picked it up from the table. Donna didn’t want him to leave, but she understood how crazy it was for him to be there in the first place.

She knew that something was off between James and her older brother. She never asked him about it, and she finally realized that she could have asked a thousand times.

Donna just figured that it would work itself out when Stephen returned. She stared at the apartment door, as James quietly opened it. They did have neighbors, but the apartments were nicely spaced out.

He said goodnight to Donna, but he kept his distance. She didn’t move any further toward him, and she just gave him several nods.

She wanted to talk to him about a million different things, but the young woman didn’t want to press her luck. She watched Bucky head toward the elevator, and she slowly closed the door.

Donna felt very discontent in that moment. She started thinking that she messed up, somehow, and she started re-tracing all of her steps. He seemed really stunned when she kissed him, and she remembered how he reacted.

Donna was creating some hefty insecurities in her mind, and she decided to give it a rest. She cleaned up the pizza box mess, and told Victor that she was going to sleep. He picked up on Donna’s mood, and he looked up from the game.

She seemed kinda down, and he wondered what the heck was going on. Those two WEIRDOS barely said anything to each other. Victor thought it was peculiar. His sister left the room, and Victor went back to his game.

Donna closed her bedroom door. She changed out of her clothes, and she got ready for sleep.

Bucky did the complete opposite because he had to keep moving. He bought a pack of cigarettes at the first shop he saw, and he kept walking. He walked all the way back to Donna’s work, and he got in his car.

His nerves were a little jumpy. He told himself that the cigarette was necessary, because he was in the mood for certain things. He actually wanted to stay there and explore the kiss that he got from Donna. That could NOT happen so... the cigarettes kept him, busy? He sighed out a puff of smoke, and turned the stupid car on.

Old habits, die hard.

Those habits had Bucky driving back to Brooklyn, but he made a stop along the way. He went straight to a local bar called Midway, where he eventually spotted that yellow jacket.

The woman that he randomly had at his apartment played pool there all the time with her friends. She mentioned something about the “breakfast that never happened” when Bucky entered her line of sight.

He gave her a small smile, and asked her if she was busy. One of her friends said that she was extremely busy, but Bucky wasn’t listening to her.

The woman in the yellow jacket said that she wasn’t busy at all, and she left the pool game behind. She ditched her friends, and walked out of the dive bar with him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	31. In The Dark (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 31: In The Dark (Part 1)

* * *

  
The woman in the yellow jacket stopped outside Bucky’s car. His behavior was a little off, so she wasn’t sure if they were going somewhere or not. He relaxed against his car, and he thought about a second cigarette.

Bucky wanted to throw away the entire pack, but his companion spoke up, and it brought him out of his thought.

“What’s up? It’s cold..”

If they were heading back to his apartment, then she wanted to get going. She hugged her jacket closer to her body, and Bucky gave a slow exhale.

He thought about a few things as he drove to the bar. The words, “What Would Steve Do?” kept buzzing around in his head. Bucky used Steve as some sort of epic, beacon of morality.

Steve was too good of a person, and Bucky hated himself for hurting him. In his present situation, Bucky thought that his best friend would be blunt. Steve’s river of truth would pave the way, so Bucky gave it a shot.

“I’m here to let you know that I don’t want you coming around the apartment anymore. I’m going to give something a try, and I don’t even see us as friends.”

Ouch. The woman’s lip curled upward somewhat. She truly gasped at what Bucky said. WOW. She was blown away. Her mind settled on something, and she slowly rolled her eyes.

“Whatever Bucky, try all you want. I already feel sorry for her.”

The woman in the yellow jacket was just a few years older than Donna. And, at the age of twenty-one, she already knew exactly what he intended to “try” and who he planned to “try” something with.

She saw Donna Strange in the apartment hallway. She pretended like she didn’t see her, and the woman even noticed the look on her face.

Bucky Barnes not going to breakfast after that was expected, and she really didn’t care. She felt bad for the poor girl in the pretty skirt. Bucky didn’t say anything else, and that yellow jacket walked away.

Bucky tossed the cigarettes away as well. He sulked on his behavior for a moment longer, then he moved on. Bucky went home alone, and he committed to sleeping on his plan.

Speaking to Stephen friggen Strange was his next step. 

~~~~—-~~~~

Stephen “friggen” Strange went back to meditating. He was checking in with Nightmare, and getting ready to make his move. Clea got up a little earlier, and she altered her appearance.

She formed her own garments, and shaped her hair how she pleased. Being with Stephen, and sharing a space with him for several months really altered her personality.

She couldn’t describe what it was, because her behavior was very foreign for her. She had spent way too many years in a dark pit of despair, so ....it was kinda nice to only focus on how she looked.

Stephen was pretty obsessed with his dream girl. He thought that she looked beautiful, and the almost-sorcerer-supreme was actually able to say that to her. The time that he spent in the realm of light altered his personality as well.

Stephen wasn’t crippled by his emotions like before, and he felt very confident with his thoughts. He wasn’t sure how he would balance his life in the Dark Dimension, with the life that he had back home. Regardless of that, the sorcerer-in-training felt ready to figure all of that out.

He also felt ready to have a chat with Nightmare as well, so he quietly asked Clea if she planned to join him.

She said yes, and she watched him stand up. Stephen was wearing the dark blue garments. His “Halloween costume” was hardly complete, but he wore what he had proudly.

The two of them left Agamotto’s realm. His Vishanti entity was right there in his body, but he finally gave Stephen a majority of the control.

Clea and Stephen slipped into Nightmare’s splintered section, and they watched him poke around in someone’s dream. Nightmare looked up at them, and he immediately formed a fiendish looking grin.

* * *

Chapter: END 

Thanks for reading.


	32. In The Dark (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 32: In The Dark (Part 2)

* * *

  
Tony was dead asleep. He was very warm beside Steve, and he had himself all bundled up around his yummy legs and arms.

They were always weaved and closely knit together when they slept. It went unnoticed most of the time, because they were busy dreaming.

Tony’s suit gave off a sound. An alert went off and it woke the two of them up. Steve was startled. His eyes flew open, and he immediately grabbed his forehead.

He was speaking to Stephen in his dream. That conversation was a challenging one, and the would-be-soldier woke up with a bit of anxiety.

Tony scowled at the alarm. He was still half asleep, and dreaming about food. Tony turned over onto his stomach, and he started pulling one of Steve’s legs up toward his chest.

What the... Steve looked down at his leg. He couldn’t stretch it that far up, and he tried to wiggle free.

WAKE UP. Steve gave Tony a soft nudge because his leg was in a weird place, and the alarm was still going. Tony didn’t wanna doooooooo anything, ever. He ignored Steve’s nudging, and he quietly mumbled that he didn’t care about the alarm.

The alarm was on display. A screen was floating up above their bed, and Steve was forced to look at it. He blinked several times, then he grabbed the tech. 

Steve put that screen in Tony’s face, and he tried to get his leg free. The brunette started whining and sulking out into the room. He was so comfortable and warm. Tony didn’t want to wake the eff up for anything.

He squirmed around Steve for a minute or so more, until he remembered what the alarm was set for. Tony’s sense of recall kicked in, and he quickly opened his eyes.

“He’s out. He left..”

Tony was sleepy, but he sat up and he started skimming around the screen. Steve brought his leg back where it belonged, and he glanced at the screen beside him.

.....Stephen. 

The alarm indicated that Stephen Strange had left the realm of light. Steve watched Tony’s hands at work, and then he pressed his face more against his pillow. Steve closed his eyes, and he took in a few slow breaths.

“We gotta tell Donna and Victor. Ok?”

Tony slowly looked at Steve. That damn blonde was still in an odd mood. Steve started behaving differently after Tony told him what happened with Stephen. The brunette told him everything, and now Steve went super silent on the subject.

Tony tried to talk to him about it a million times. It felt like THEY were feuding over it now, and Tony didn’t like that at all. He wasn’t sure what to do, so he kept looking at Steve.

They were supposed to be a trio of some sort. The three of them were going to spend an eternity together, or whatever... so, Tony didn’t get Steve’s behavior.

He didn’t want to say that he was jealous. Tony wanted to understand, and work it out. Steve wasn’t saying SHIT, so....

Tony roughly turned over. He stared at the edge of their bed, and he started getting up. Steve got up as well, and Tony watched him put a shirt on. OK, BLONDIE.

Tony put some clothes on too, and he kept scratching at his neck. Steve’s behavior had him all bothered, so he kept his hands busy.

They both went for the door, and they stopped somewhere in the middle. Tony looked up at Steve, and he immediately started heating up. Steve stared down at Tony, and he tried not to think about what Stephen did to him.

He was very bothered, and it wasn’t Tony’s fault. His issue was with Stephen, but Steve couldn’t really express that. His mood was currently unfixable, so he just looked at their bedroom door.

Tony scoffed pretty loudly when Steve looked away. OK AGAIN, BLONDIE. He just let Steve go do whatever. Tony crossed his arms up tight, and he waited for Steve to lead the way.

“Tony what are we doing? Calling them, or going?”

“We’re going. I’ll make the portal.”

Tony took over that confusion, and he formed a portal. It led to the front door of Stephen’s apartment. Steve followed, and he stood beside Tony. The brunette rang the door bell, and he knocked a few times.

Donna opened the door for them. She was fully dressed, and it seemed like she was ready to go. Tony didn’t need to update her at all. She said that Victor was grabbing the amulet, and they were ready.

~~~~—-~~~~

Nightmare had an irritating laugh. He seemed excited to see Stephen and Clea. The almost-sorcerer-supreme studied him carefully.

He dropped the dream that he was manipulating, and he gave Stephen a giant smile.

“My my my my my mighty Stephen. Enjoying the married life?”

Nightmare’s skin was getting darker as he spoke. At first it was green, then it seemed to mix with something dark. Stephen wondered if it was his energy moving around. 

He didn’t care about the marriage comment. Stephen had nothing to say about that subject. Nightmare mentioned that word travelled fast. He also said that a little birdie told him that Dormammu’s niece had been “very wed”.

Stephen was starting to get annoyed with him. His fixation with Clea got on his last nerve, and even Agamotto wanted to take over. He said that Nightmare was only a pest, and nothing more.

Stephen found him to be a bit fascinating, until he opened his mouth.

“Your woman sent you here to teach me a lesson? Yes?”

Nightmare was floating upward. It didn’t seem like he was planning on attacking them, but he kept his beady eyes locked onto Clea. 

“Well, as you prepare for the we.. WE prepare for the you. There is no other lesson here, Stephen Strange.”

Nightmare was slowly turning upside down as he spoke. His body turned like a clock. He continued to stare at Clea. She refused to look at him. She thought that Nightmare was vile, and disturbing. 

He laughed loudly at Clea’s behavior. Nightmare wanted her to look in his direction, but the young ruler wouldn’t budge. He started taunting Clea, and he even made several gestures to get her attention.

“Don’t give him all your magic tricks, save some for the res...”

Stephen shut that shit down quick. He quickly brought his hand up, and locked that loud mouth shut. He secured a tight grip, and Clea was glad that the noise had subsided.

She didn’t send Stephen there for Nightmare. Clea glanced around the area, and she wondered what was taking so long. She thought his siblings would arrive immediately.

Nightmare kept making annoying sounds, and Clea gave off an irritated sigh. She finally looked over at him. Stephen was studying his skin, just as Nightmare gleefully reached for her.

“Sleep it off, vile beast.”

She sent that thing as far away from her as she could. Clea couldn’t be near it anymore, and Stephen was amused. He kept looking around Nightmare’s lair, then he slowly focused on Clea.

She seemed distracted, and preoccupied with something else. Stephen started glancing around, and he walked up to her.

When he reached Clea, a large portal appeared to their left. Stephen’s attention immediately turned to the portal, and he blinked several times.

He saw his younger brother and sister. They were staring at him, and Stephen started feeling uneasy. Victor and Donna travelled through the portal with Tony and Steve.

Stephen kept staring at those two, then he forced his focus onto Clea. Agamotto immediately saw it as an ambush. That Vishanti entity felt another presence that no one else was aware of.

He felt the other presence in Donna Strange, so his immediate reaction was to take back his control of Stephen.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	33. In The Dark (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 33: In The Dark (Part 3)

* * *

“You, orchestrated this?”

Agamotto took over Stephen’s body, and he was looking directly at Clea. She returned his eye contact, and a glimpse of guilt kicked in. She took in a slow breath, and softly said yes.

Agamotto looked very betrayed. Stephen didn’t feel that way, but it was a low blow for the entity. He was very attached to Clea, and Stephen having full control of his body meant that he would disappear.

Which also meant that Clea preferred Stephen, not him. It angered Agamotto immediately, and Clea saw it in his face.

“He needs to return home. He can’t just exist on your whim. The balanc..”

“That was home. You settle for trinkets.”

Meaningless. Agamotto immediately cut her off. He turned toward the crew that arrived. He used Stephen’s eyes, and focused on Donna specifically. Agamotto knew that someone else was in her body. The Ancient One was storing up her strength, and she looked over Agamotto’s shoulder. 

The older version of Steve was there as well. He was intending to intervene if Agamotto got out of hand. He made a gesture of acknowledgement toward the Ancient One, and all eyes were set on Stephen.

Baby Tony broke up the scene. He looked over at Steve. They formed a plan with Donna and Victor, so the two of them were supposed to make the first move.

“Ready?”

Tony spoke to Steve. He was staring at Stephen. The look on his face troubled Tony. He wasn’t sure if Steve wanted to bring Stephen back. 

The blonde took his time as well, like always....

Tony kept staring at him, and then Victor made the second move. He stepped closer to his sister. The Eye of Agamotto was concealed beneath his Pink Floyd t-shirt, and he took in a deep breath.

Agamotto’s anger was affecting them all. They felt it, because he was there in the flesh. Donna only had her eyes closed.

Clea felt a strong urge to ease his anger. She stepped in front of Agamotto, and told him that his family were not “trinkets”. She couldn’t speak from experience, but she knew that Stephen’s siblings loved him. 

That moment with Clea gave the others a lovely window of opportunity. Baby Steve used the distraction, and he made up his mind about Stephen. Steve quickly looked at Tony and decided to put his issues aside. It was very unexpected, but that golden thing launched the first strike. 

A blue hand shield formed in front of Steve, then a flash of light was sent in Agamotto’s direction.

Steve locked a ring around his shoulders, and he yanked Stephen’s body to the right. Tony instantly reacted to what Steve did. He joined in, and he sent an orange energy toward his left. Clea didn’t expect that, and she saw the anger in Agamotto get worse.

She decided to jump behind Stephen’s body, and she followed Steve and Tony’s lead. Her energy was purple, and she added her own hold onto Stephen’s body.

The three of them kept him in place, while Stephen tried to regain controlbeneath the surface. He kept looking at his brother and sister. They were right in front of him.

Victor touched Donna’s hand. He asked her if she was awake, because the hold on Stephen’s body wouldn’t last forever. She was awake, but she kept her eyes closed.

Victor said that he was ready. He gripped his sister‘s hand and she slowly opened her eyes. She glanced down at Victor. The youngest sibling tried to rush the situation.

They had a plan, and it felt like they were running out of time. Donna wasn’t worried. She looked at her older brother, and drew in a very deep breath.

3..

2....

1.....

  
Donna and Victor both appeared in front of Stephen. In an instant, they were right there in front of his face. They both did the same exact hand movements, and they shoved the palm of their fists against Stephen’s chest.

They cast Agamotto out of Stephen’s body, and Donna pulled her older brother forward. She hugged his shoulders, and hid her face against his blue tunic.

Victor levitated. He was the one that was the most prepared for the encounter. Agamotto was forced out of his host, and had Victor studied how to open the eye.

Steve, Tony, and Clea all focused on keeping Agamotto secured in one place, as Victor spoke out an incantation.

The eye was opened, and it was immediately shrouded with light. Tony and Steve did most of the work, as Agamotto was successfully drawn in.

The light became too bright for some of them, but the power of Agamotto was sealed within his eye. He had been reduced to a “trinket”, where he was forced to process Clea’s betrayal.

Donna kept hugging Stephen. He understood what was happening, so he quietly hugged her back. His sister started crying against him, and everyone silently watched.

Victor stopped floating. He migrated back down toward his siblings, and he happily hugged Stephen’s back. The three of them looked just like the picture that Tony saw in the apartment.

It instantly melted his young heart, and he looked over at Steve. Baby Steve was focused on something else. Tony tried to see what he was looking at, but he only saw darkness.

The siblings kept hugging. Stephen told his sister not to cry, but Donna’s tears wouldn’t cease. She said that they were happy tears, but she was lying.

Donna Strange was very upset with her brother, but she couldn’t bring anything up in that moment.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	34. In The Dark (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 34: In The Dark (Part 4)

* * *

Welp, Stephen Strange was officially back. Baby Steve was pretty over it, and he was about to form a portal.

He was in an odd mood, and he hadn’t had enough time to really think. Steve wanted to leave. He was looking over at his older self, but he disappeared after the situation was resolved.

Now, a bulk of the group was focused on Stephen... and that was that. Steve looked over at Tony, and he noticed that the area around them was changing. The Dark Dimension was fading away, and all six people were standing outside Stephen’s apartment.

They were in Manhattan, and it felt like they reverted back to the same evening when Stephen took off. He kept hugging his sister, and Victor put the Eye of Agamotto around Stephen’s neck.

The almost-sorcerer-supreme received another piece of his Halloween costume. He stepped back from Donna, and looked down at the amulet.

He only wanted it to bring his sister back, and now he knew a lot more about what he could do with it. No one was saying anything, and Stephen was unsure who to talk to first.

He looked in Tony’s direction. Those two made eye contact first, because he assumed that Tony didn’t plan on sticking around.

“Ay, you mentioned something about sandwiches? Somewhere, by your place?”

Stephen didn’t want one giant discussion, or a million questions. He focused on Tony and Steve first. Tony’s right eyebrow arched upward, and he slouched to one side. 

The brunette looked over at Steve. He was not about to answer that question, without reading Steve’s body language first. The blonde had his arms crossed. He didn’t look very open for a conversation.

Steve decided to answer. He looked directly at Stephen, and spoke.

“There is a small deli near the apartment. They serve sandwiches, yes.”

Tony kept his mouth shut. He almost slapped both of his hands over his mouth, but he didn’t. He tried to keep calm. Stephen gave them both a few nods, then he looked at his siblings and Clea.

That conversation was going to require a lot of energy. Stephen was dreading it a little bit, then he focused back on Steve.

“Can we meet there soon? In a few days? I’ve gott..”

“That’s fine. Sure.”

Steve was short with his response, and he immediately turned to his right. They were on the sidewalk by the apartment, so he started heading toward Brooklyn. 

Bye.

Tony friggen gulped from the shock. He was internally freaking out as they spoke. It felt like Tony had a million baby fire alarms going off inside his body.

Stephen just watched Steve take off, then he changed his focus to Tony. 

Tony gave him the shortest wave ever, and then he sped off after Steve. He caught up to him, and he quietly walked beside him. Steve just kept walking. He intended to walk all the way back to Brooklyn, because he needed to think.

Tony wasn’t sure what was happening. Steve was very to himself when it came to Stephen. He had to walk pretty fast, because Steve took longer steps than he did.

“Have I upset you? I don’t, ack..”

Tony almost walked into some random tree that was put in the middle of the sidewalk. He dodged it just in time, as Steve glanced in his direction. The blonde gave a sigh, because he knew that his behavior was confusing Tony.

Back by the apartment, Stephen finally looked at his siblings. They looked alive, and healthy. Stephen was glad for that, and he thought about another presence that he felt when he checked in on them.

Stephen looked around the area, and he noticed that one person was missing.

“So, she’s your wife?”

Donna just jumped right into it. Stephen snapped his focus back to his sister, and he sucked in a deep breath. Wait what? He wondered how Donna knew...

Stephen looked at Clea. She referred to herself as Stephen’s wife, and she wasn’t lying. The almost-sorcerer decided to come clean.

He looked at his younger brother, and confessed.

“We were married in the Dark Dimension. She technically married Agamotto while I was somewhat dormant, but we were married, yes.”

Now, Clea was the one that crossed her arms. That confirmation from Stephen formed a proud smile on her face. She was glad that Donna Strange had ears to hear what he said.

Donna was not amused with her grin. She glared at her brother, and tensed up a little bit.

“Stephen, who the hell is she? Thank you for helping us earlier, but this is insane.”

She thought about their parents. Donna knew that they were going to be upset. Stephen tried to control his temper. Donna had a way of starting arguments, and he looked up at the Manhattan Sky.

“Her name is Clea. We are not married in this dimension. So, relax.”

Stephen looked over at Clea. They discussed their marriage a few times. Having it legitimate in both dimensions was important to them both. Stephen wasn’t ready to drop that bomb on his siblings, and he could tell that Clea wanted to say something to Donna.

They both refrained. She looked at Stephen instead, and told him that she needed to leave.

It was time for them to separate, and time for him to learn more on his own. Stephen knew that, but he was hesitant. He had gotten very used to being around his dream girl. Stephen could only give her a small smile in that moment.

Victor thought that they all were super weird. He walked around the three of them, and he said that he was going back to bed.

It was really early in the morning, and the conversation was way too heavy. Victor was happy to have his brother back. He had no complaints or questions whatsoever.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	35. In The Dark (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 35: In The Dark (Part 5)

* * *

  
Clea was about to head back to her world, but she was stalling the departure for as long as she could. Donna wasn’t feeling the marriage thing. She mentioned that her brother was only how old? Twenty?

Donna Strange did the math. Stephen was two years older than her, and she turned 18 back in February. Stephen was born in NOVEMBER.

She reminded him that his twenty first birthday was coming up, and he had no business being married. He couldn’t even legally buy a drink. The marriage was very random for her, and unexpected. She didn’t want to talk to them any longer, so she headed back into the apartment.

Clea and Stephen were standing on the sidewalk, alone. They didn’t want to talk about what Donna was mentioning. In Clea’s opinion, Stephen’s age did not matter.

“I really upset Agamotto. He looked very hurt.”

Stephen looked down at the amulet. He picked it up from his chest, and started staring at all the details. The almost-sorcerer pondered Clea’s comment, and then he looked at her.

He looked at her for a long while, then he smiled and changed his focus.

“He’ll get over it.”

“Do you really think so? He looked broken.”

Clea didn’t want to hurt either of them. It hurt her heart to have him put away, but she felt like Stephen needed a fighting chance. He needed to master Agamotto’s skills in his own time.

“I know so. He will get over it. Agamotto has no choice.”

Stephen knew how his entity felt about Clea, and he felt the exact same way. His small smile remained on his face, and she stepped close to him.

She really needed to head back to her responsibilities, so she only gave him a soft kiss. It was very brief, but Stephen was glad for it. His life had resumed where he left it, and his dream girl disappeared.

Stephen hated it when she left. He closed his eyes, and stood alone for a short while. The older brother walked it off, and headed up to his own apartment. His siblings went back to sleep, and he found some comfort on the living room sofa.

He realized that all his stuff was gone when he walked in, but he wasn’t bothered by that. Donna and Victor had made it a home, so Stephen was content.

Someone else in this story was far from content. Steve Rogers was still walking to Brooklyn. Tony was following along, and trying to get him talking.

Tony didn’t shy away from a conversation. He welcomed any sort of communication. Even if it started an argument between them, Tony wanted something to happen. 

He asked if they were really walking all the way to Brooklyn. Steve said that he was, because he needed to think.

“I can meet you back at the apartment, you don’t have to walk with me Tony.”

WHAT?? Tony didn’t like hearing that. His frozen breath puffed out of his mouth, and he started walking faster. He didn’t want to leave Steve out on the streets so he could SULK about Stephen’s rude ass.

Tony bit his tongue, and he kept marching onward. His shoes were expensive, beautiful, and covered in street debris. BUT, WHATEVER.

He kept going, and tried to act unaffected. They didn’t have jackets, because they friggen teleported to Stephen’s apartment. Tony was hella cold, and Steve’s body looked warm.

Tony wanted to feel it, back in their bed. He let out a loud and exhausted sigh.. and Steve looked in his direction.

“This isn’t about you, ok? So you don’t have to be out here.”

“I WANT to be out here. Its beautiful and peaceful so, suck it.”

Tony wasn’t giving up without a fight. He shivered all along the way, and he tried to huddle close to Steve several times. That blonde was stubborn as fuhhhhkkkkk.

Tony thought that he heard a laugh, so he looked over at him. Tony’s eyebrow arched high, as the two of them kept on walking.

“I’m sorry about what I did, earlier. Before we went to sleep.”

Steve was talking about pretending to be Stephen. He did it to really get a sense of what Stephen wanted. He took it way too far, and Tony told him to stop.

Tony was glad that he said something. He acknowledged the apology, but that wasn’t what he wanted to discuss.

“Ehh, don’t worry. It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.”

Steve sounded very stern as he spoke, because he was very disappointed with himself. His current attitude had nothing to do with Tony, but he was failing to make that clear.

The blonde was very new with relationships, and what Tony had in mind was pretty scary for Steve. He was trying to figure out if he could balance Stephen into his life.

Because of Stephen’s behavior behind his back, Steve wasn’t sure if he could trust him.

His top priority was to have a conversation with Stephen. He didn’t want Tony involved at all. He needed to hear how Stephen really felt, and what his actual intentions were.

Steve could not move forward without having some sort of chat. He worked it all out in his head, as the almost-soldier walked quietly beside Tony.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	36. Ten Years From Now (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 36: Ten Years From Now (Part 1) 

* * *

  
Steve ended up carrying Tony after a while. He was up on his back, and currently asleep. Tony had his arms around Steve’s shoulders, and he had a bit of his shirt between his teeth.

Steve carried him all the way up to their apartment, and he processed the Stephen thing as best he could. Steve got to the front door, and he tried to get the apartment keys out of his front pocket.

Tony could feel him moving. He was having a yummy dream, and it felt warm in the apartment hallway. Tony kept snoozing, until his arms slipped loose.

Tony almost fell off those shoulders, but Steve leaned forward, and caught his arms. He asked Tony if he was ok, and awake.

Huh? Tony quickly opened his eyes, and he saw where they were. Aw, CRAP. Tony didn’t notice that he fell asleep. He cursed himself, and stepped off on his own two feet. He sleepily said that he was fine, then he leaned against the door frame.

Steve had an inward panic attack, because he thought Tony’s head was about to crack open on the floor. That feeling subsided as he watched him wipe at his tired eyes.

He thought that Tony looked adorable in that moment. Steve had to step toward him, and show it. He moved in close, and gently gripped one side of Tony's neck. That brunette could heat up faster than anything Steve had ever seen.

Tony’s body felt warmer against his hand, as he reeled Tony's up lips to his. The two of them locked up in a pretty tight embrace. Steve knew that he needed to leave, because he had way too much to think about.

Tony welcomed Steve’s touch and his yummy kiss. That strong hand on his neck, and the sudden attention, made him feel relaxed. Tony moved from the door frame, and pulled Steve even tighter against him. He had to hold onto the crisp, clean shirt that Steve always wore.

Tony needed it between his fingers, and he hungered for their kiss to continue. Since they were out of the cold air, Tony felt like he was drenched with sweat. He also felt the apartment door behind him, since Steve had him all pressed up against it.

That kiss eventually subsided, and Steve retrieved his keys. He smiled at Tony and unlocked the door. That brunette kept looking at him. He felt a little better about his behavior.

Tony thought that he might have moved on from all his troubles? Maybe? Tony’s expression reflected all the questions that he had about it. Steve didn’t open the door, but he mentioned that he needed to keep walking.

Tony still held onto that shirt, and he quietly said that Steve didn’t need to go. He didn’t want him out there sulking, or obsessing over anything. They started kissing again, and Tony quietly told Steve that he loved him.

He really loved him, so there was no reason to head out and think. Steve didn’t see it that way, so he slowly looked at Tony’s warm face.

“So, if he was here... you’d be doing the same thing?”

That was the part that was tripping Steve up the most. He asked his question out loud, instead of thinking it through on his own. Tony felt like the apartment roof just crashed through the pit of his chest.

His baby heart exploded, or it fell out down the stairs. Tony took that question to heart, and he felt very offended. Steve wasn’t understanding him, and he didn’t know how to tell him.

Tony tried not to freak out in the hallway, or cry all over his clean shirt.

“I love you both, for different reasons. I don’t think I’d be doing the same thing.”

What he was “doing” with Steve felt special for him. He enjoyed it, and Stephen didn’t even cross his mind. That wasn’t what he “loved” about Stephen at all. Tony felt very misunderstood, and upset. He glanced at the apartment door, just as they both heard another door open.

Tony’s expression changed, because Bucky fucking Wonder was heading to breakfast. Bucky saw their dramatic little scene, but he kept to himself. Steve stepped back from Tony, and he looked over at his friend.

Bucky locked his apartment door, and he just gave the two of them a simple smile.

“Good morning.”

There was a bit of sarcasm in his tone. Bucky intentionally tried to sound all chipper, to hopefully alleviate whatever drama was unfolding.

Tony just opened the apartment door, and he let himself in. He closed the door behind him, and shut out both of them. He decided that Steve really needed that walk...

Tony just stepped forward, and he headed toward his work room. Steve remained in the hallway, and he gave a soft sigh.

“Coffee?”

Bucky didn’t know what the hell was going on with those two, and a giant part of him didn’t care. He didn’t know that Steve was the one causing the drama, but he’d offer him coffee either way.

Steve just gave Bucky a small nod of acknowledgment, and he followed after his friend. It was perfect timing for him, because he really needed to figure out what he was doing.  


The blonde was far from perfect, and relationships used to be something that he only fantasized about having.

So, he let his conversation with Tony go. Steve stepped down the stairs, and headed out with Bucky.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	37. Ten Years From Now (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 37: Ten Years From Now (Part 2)

* * *

  
Bucky was eating a breakfast sandwich. Steve just settled for coffee. He didn’t really need it to wake up, he just drank it to calm his nerves. He didn’t like how Tony slipped out of sight.

The situation was getting complicated, and it was the last thing that Steve wanted.

“So, does he expect the three of you to be together all the time? A couple, triple.. trouple?”

Bucky laughed at his own comment. He didn’t understand the mess that Steve was in. He wasn’t “traditional” in any fashion, but he never tried to be in a relationship with two people at once.

No way. Bucky thought that Tony had a few screws loose, but he never said a word about it. Steve kept sighing, and he kept his forehead firmly planted on the table.

“I don’t know? I am having the hardest time imagining it working. I’ve barely even had a conversation with Stephen.”

“Oh, and he’s just a chatter box.”

Yeah right. Bucky was dreading his reunion with Stephen as well. Steve did not mention that he was back. He only told Bucky that he knew what Stephen wanted.

He wanted Tony, and Steve saw it as LUST. Maybe, he was wrong? Steve was thinking that he could have everything wrong. The situation was very new for him. He kept his head on the table, and Bucky started getting amused with it.

“All I know is, they like each other. And they both are very... from this time. They think their behavior is normal. You know?”

Where Steve and Bucky came from, a person could get arrested for being inappropriate or “indecent” in public. If they were caught doing half the stuff that Tony and Stephen naturally do, they’d spend the night in jail and get charged with “seduction”.

They came from such different worlds, but they all lived in the exact same place.

Steve still wasn’t used to it, and the idea of being with two people at once freaked him out. But then again, he remembered that interesting moment between the three of them in the mirror sphere.

Bucky looked at the back of Steve’s blonde hair, and he quietly laughed at his misery. He assumed that Steve was struggling because he wanted to give Tony what he wanted. But, doing that meant he had to mingle with Stephen Strange.

There was no avoiding that, so Bucky tried to find some silver lining for his friend.

“Have you considered looking at Stephen in a different way?”

Possibly in the same way that he looked at Tony? Bucky tossed the idea out there, and Steve slowly brought his head up off the cold table.

I’m sorry, what? Steve gave Bucky the most terrified expression. WHO was that talking? Steve did not recognize the person that was speaking to him. Steve almost coughed up the coffee that he drank.

“I know, he’s horrible. But, there’s gotta be something about him that interests you...”

Bucky tossed some more advice out there, and he slowly shrugged up his own shoulders. Steve kept staring at the person that he had known most of his life. That blonde was in DISBELIEF.

“That is crazy. I can’t, he’s... that’s just. I’m not...”

Steve placed his forehead back on the table, and Bucky laughed again. He continued eating his sandwich as Steve’s mind started spinning. It spun and spun for OTHER alternatives.

Bucky kept the fun going, because the situation was new between the two of them.

“You really can’t find anything attractive about him? I’m not surprised..”

Steve stopped listening to Bucky entirely. Attractive? About Stephen? Steve tried to wrap his brain around Bucky’s words.  


...Stephen did have interesting facial features. Steve thought that his eyes were...

...

The blonde realized that he wasn’t handling the situation in the best way. A sudden idea crossed his mind, and he softly spoke to Bucky.

“Is that your method of choice? Are you trying to find something to like about him as well?”

For Donna? Steve lol’d, and his voice hit the table. Bucky heard that, and he almost choked on his breakfast sandwich. Steve’s comment was very unexpected. Whoa.

“Not romantically, but yeah. You guessed it.”

Bucky was trying to find something that he could work with. So far, knowing Donna, and having siblings was the only thing that they had in common. Stephen Strange was definitely not an “open book”.

“He likes literature. I was thinking about expanding the bookshelves. Moving stuff around.”

Steve and Stephen did have a discussion about a book. They talked about Moby Dick, and which character they followed the most.

“Well that’s way more than I’ve got.”

Bucky considered Steve lucky for that info, but the blonde just struggled with the details. He started scratching at his blonde hair, as Bucky finished his sandwich.

“I should head back.”

“Yup.”

Bucky agreed with that. Tony looked pretty upset. He tossed his trash away and he started heading in a different direction. Steve wondered where he was going, but he didn’t ask.

Steve sulked for a little while longer, then he made his way back to the apartment. He wasn’t aware of it, but Tony went to his work room to grab some of his tech.

He made the music he was creating portable, and he took it with him out of the apartment. Tony left to do his own walking and thinking, just as Steve started heading back.

They just missed one another, and Steve was pretty startled to see thatTony was gone. He wasn’t “gone” or anything like that.

He was just restless, and eager to finish his third song.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	38. Ten Years From Now (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 38:Ten Years From Now (Part 3)

* * *

Tony was working out a small part of the third song. He actually walked down the street, and composed parts of it right out in the open. 

The sound of it was directed toward his ears, so only he could hear what he was doing. Tony stopped on the sidewalk, and he looked out at the giant Stark tower.

He stared at his father’s work, and all of his musical gizmos went away. Tony kept staring at his own last name, and he felt a little odd about it.

He had no idea if his father was working, so he looked down at his shoes. They were all scuffed up from the walk that he took with Steve. Tony felt like Steve didn’t want him there.

Maybe, Steve didn’t realize it.. but he kept telling him to go away. Tony felt ...

He thought about surprising his father, and showing up at his work. Tony had never done that before, so he headed toward the giant tower. It took him a while to get there, but he slowly walked right in.

The inside of the building felt familiar. Tony figured that he must have been in it when he was a kid. He walked up to the front desk, and he smiled at the man that sat behind it.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Do I need one? My father works here.”

His father owned it, actually. Tony didn’t want to come off as rude. There was a ton of people in the lobby. People were taking pictures of the inventions that were on display, and Tony saw some signs that advertised the Stark Expo.

Tony smiled at that, because his father loved putting that event together.

“Who is your father?”

“Howard Stark.”

Tony gave the man a playful grin, but he was met with an eye roll. The man heard that comment often, and Tony was surprised by his response.

“Wow, Howard is my dad. Is he here?”

“You don’t know where your own father is?”

The man thought that was suspicious. He checked several security camera screens, and Tony watched him press a few buttons. 

No, Tony didn’t have any idea where his father was. He wanted to surprise him, but his plan was getting difficult. Tony fished his wallet out of his bag and he showed the man his identification.

“My name is Anthony Edward Stark. My dad is all over the place, and I haven’t seen him in months. Is he here? I’d like to see him.”

The man looked at the ID, and then his eyes snapped up to Tony’s face. He got on the phone, and called Howard’s office. That got him nowhere, so he started calling around. He spoke to several different people, and mentioned that Howard’s son was in the building.

Tony started nervously messing around with his hands. He was in a weird mood, and he wasn’t sure how to talk to Steve. They really weren’t communicating that well, and Tony started feeling sad about it.

That kiss by the apartment door was smoking hot. Tony was bummed that Steve killed it with his insecure and stubborn shiiiiittttt. Tony hoped that his father was somewhere, because he always gave him honest advice.

Tony really missed his father and mother. He thought about them all the time, but he failed to check in. The man hung up the phone, and he gave Tony back his ID.

“I was told that he might be in the engineering wing. Take the elevator to the twelfth floor, and someone will be there to escort you to him.”

OH COOL. Tony gave the man a happy smile, and he immediately took off toward the elevator. Tony kept looking around as he went, and he started remembering the place more and more.

Tony got in the elevator and he punched in the number twelve. The brunette relaxed against the wall, and some silence kicked in. As he waited, his mind wandered back to where it always went. 

He started thinking about Steve, and he kinda kicked his filthy blue shoe. Tony didn’t realize how fast the elevator traveled up, because he was on the twelfth floor in less time than he thought.

The door opened, and his escort was there to greet him. Tony’s stomach immediately sank down to his feet, because it was someone that he did not want to see.

His escort stepped into the elevator. Tony wasn’t given the chance to step out. Uhhh, out. He was supposed to go out, and see his father.

That did not happen, and the elevator doors closed. Tony kept his back against the wall, because he was kindly greeted by his “escort”.

The rest of it, was a bit of a blur.

* * *

  
Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 


	39. Ten Years From Now (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 39:Ten Years From Now (Part 4)

* * *

  
Stephen turned over on the living room sofa. He could smell two things that reminded him of home. Bacon, and coffee.

Donna was making things in the kitchen that she grew up with. Bacon and eggs were simple to fix up, but their mother always had breakfast set out for them. That behavior carried on.

She didn’t know if Stephen drank coffee, but she was starting to enjoy it. The only coffee drinker in the Nebraska home was their father. Stephen reminded her of him, so she made a gentle assumption.

Stephen stared up at the apartment ceiling, and he thought about a few things. He heard a quiet person to his left. Victor was playing his video game, but he had the volume down low.

He brought Stephen a blanket earlier, and he resumed his Final Fantasy game. His older Brother reached his hand over toward Victor, and he playfully messed up his hair.

Victor gave a quiet laugh, and he pushed Stephen’s hand away. He liked his hair a certain way, and his brother always messed it up. Or, sometimes he fixed it for him...

Stephen was weird. Victor loved him anyway tho, and he kept playing.

The almost-sorcerer-supreme took a moment to look at the amulet that was around his neck. He stared right at the “Eye” and then he looked toward the kitchen.

“Donna, I’m going to resume my school residency. So don’t worry about taking over my apartment, and throwing out all my stuff.”

Take that. Stephen held a playful grin, and he heard something crash around in the kitchen. Donna scoffed toward the oven and rolled her damn eyes.

“Petty.”

Her simple response made Stephen laugh. He kicked the blanket off his long legs, and sat up. Stephen stretched his arms back, and gave a loud sigh. He wanted to shower, and possibly sleep some more.

Nah, he decided to torment his younger sister instead. Since Donna felt the need to jump his shit over Clea, Stephen decided to pounce back.

“So, are you dating Bucky Barnes? I felt him lurking around you and the apartment every now and then.”

Victor listened and immediately held in a laugh. He loved it when his older siblings squabbled. The baby Strange always did his best to stay out of it, and he often just watched the show.

Stephen’s comment caused him to actually pause his game. He expected a very entertaining encounter.

Donna just flipped the bacon, and she scowled her attention toward the pan. She was not dating “Bucky” so she acted unaffected by his words. The young woman grabbed three plates, and thought about throwing one of them at her brother.

“James was paid to keep me updated on you, and that’s it. He also walks me home after work, because YOU ditched us.”

Ahh. Stephen rolled one of his arms around in the socket, and he smiled at Victor. His little brother looked like he had something interesting to say.

Stephen kept staring at him, as Donna got the food ready. She assumed that she won the discussion, because Stephen was very silent.

He was actually doing a little bit of digging. One of the fun things that he perfected after he ditched his siblings was called, telepathy.

Stephen could hear everything that Victor was thinking, and he was very amused. He watched Donna set the food on the table, and he decided to strike again.

“Was he paid to take you all the way into this apartment? Or to actually sit on my couch?”

Donna almost dropped the pan of bacon. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL SHIT?! She immediately looked over at Victor. The youngest sibling’s eyes flew open wide. His mouth dropped to the floor and he gave her an innocent look.

Victor didn’t say anything! He didn’t say a single word. His hands were even brought up to defend himself.

Donna tossed the rag she used to keep her hands safe. She stared at her older brother, and tried to counter his remark. She knew that she lost the battle for sure, so she just popped off on him instead.

“And what exactly is your problem with him? What did he do to make you so upset?”

Donna needed to know, but Stephen didn’t budge. Her older brother only got angry with reason. Stephen normally ignored people, and didn’t care enough about them to hold a grudge. He had to have been crossed in some way, and Donna wanted the truth.

That information was just between Stephen, and Bucky Barnes. He stepped toward the table, and looked down at the food. He smiled at his sister, and stole a piece of bacon.

Stephen wanted to shower first then check in with his school. He also thought about the sandwich thing for a moment.

He told himself that he needed to call and check in with Steve and Tony. It seemed a little weird between them, so he thought about adding himself into the mix, and making it worse.

Stephen pondered that. He had a small smile on his face as he left the room. He fixed Victor’s hair quickly, then told him that he was borrowing his shower.

“ANSWER MEEEEEEEeeee.”

Donna sighed very loudly. She was super annoyed with her arrogant brother. She also hated it when they argued and he got the better of her. She thought about getting back at him, and calling their parents. She wanted to tell  them that he ran off and got married.

Donna held off on it tho, and decided to keep that atom bomb in her back pocket.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	40. Ten Years From Now (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 40:Ten Years From Now (Part 5)

* * *

Steve Rogers definitely, absolutely, surely, unquestionably, conclusively, and straight up COULD NOT be in that apartment alone.

He had spent so much time on his own in that apartment back in the 1930s. Tony suddenly not being there brought all of that loneliness back.

Steve did not like it for one moment. He barely made it through the door without realizing what the empty apartment made him feel.

It hit him like a ton of bricks, and he almost walked out. He took a moment to think things through. Steve thought about where Tony could have went.

He thought about calling him, but the almost-soldier thought that he should give him a little space. Steve knew that he upset Tony...

Then, he thought that he might have went to see his father or mother. Tony hadn’t seen them in a long time, so that was his first choice.

Steve’s last thought made him heat up a little. Whenever Steve did something wrong, or potentially hurtful toward Tony, he always seemed to end up around Stephen Strange.

Steve thought about all the times that he was there for Tony, when the two of them were working out their relationship. It actually made Steve’s blood boil a little, because he thought Stephen was doing it on purpose.

It felt like sabotage in a slight way, because his time apart from Tony was sorta planned? Tony and Steve communicated quite a bit about what they wanted and didn’t want...

So Stephen’s behavior felt calculated, or pretty well timed. Steve kept thinking that Tony headed his way, just when the phone rang loudly in the apartment.

Steve blinked four times, and he followed the sound to the phone. He picked it up and hoped that it was Tony. The two of them never called that phone. They communicated through their suits, so what he hoped for was a lost cause.

He heard Stephen’s voice on the line instead, and Steve thought that he was about to drop dead.

“Hello? Are you there?”

Stephen thought he heard someone answer. He double checked the phone number on his caller ID. Tony called him once, so he saved it into the memory.

Steve started thinking about what Bucky said, and he suddenly couldn’t get those words out of his mind. Stephen said hello again, and Steve actually listened to his voice.

“I’m here, uhh, this is Steve.”

“Oh hey. I’m heading to my school today to resume my enrollment. I was thinking of heading that way if you guys are free?”

Steve thought that Stephen sounded very sophisticated. He had barely heard him speak, and now Steve heard him say quite a bit.

“Are you there?”

Steve kept thinking that Stephen was treating Tony better than he was, and that was why Tony kept going to him. Steve felt like he was doing everything wrong, and it was pushing Tony away.

“I’m here. Tony isn’t with you?”

Now Stephen was silent on the phone. He thought Steve’s behavior was really bizarre. Stephen had no idea how badly those two were struggling internally, so what Steve said didn’t make sense.

“Uhh, no. Why would he be here? I just saw the two of you a few hours ago.”

Stephen was very confused. He glanced around the apartment, and listened to Steve’s quiet sigh. It sounded like there was trouble in paradise. Apparently, the fairy-tale prince couldn’t find his damsel.

Stephen thought of that, and he held a small grin.

“Tony isn’t here. I think he might be just out, or with his parents. But..”

He figured that Tony would be back. Steve intended to call him as soon as he was done talking to Stephen, but a dangerous thought crossed his mind. Bucky’s words popped up again, and what Steve said next was reactionary to that.

“Maybe, you and I could meet at that deli? We could talk, while we wait for him to contact us, or come back?”

Steve felt pretty nervous. He started messing with the phone cord, while Stephen just stared at the small table. He wasn’t sure if he heard Steve correctly.

“Are you saying that you want to get sandwiches, with me?”

Get outta town. Stephen was very amused with what he heard. He waited for Steve’s response, and he watched Victor finally turn that damn video game off. Steve took his time with his response, but Stephen heard his voice again.

“Wull, yeah. We could do that.”

“Ok, I will meet you there at two. I just have to fill out some papers at my school, then i’ll head your way.”

Steve heard Stephen quickly give a goodbye, then he hung up the phone. The blonde couldn’t believe what he did, and he said bye way after the fact.

Steve slowly hung up the phone and he checked the time. 2 pm wasn’t that far away, and he was in a bit of a daze. He tapped the center of his chest a few times, and his own technology activated.

The program that was installed in his suit was called B.L.O.N.D.I.E. and he asked it to call Tony.

Steve watched the line ring, but Tony didn’t answer. Steve gave the message he wanted to leave him some thought, but he rushed it when he heard the beep.

“I’m sorry I hurt you Tony. I’ve been overthinking a few things, and I’m going to try to talk to Stephen. Meet us at Momma Louisa's later, if you want? And I..”

The stupid message cut him off. It told him that it was recorded, but Steve was unable to tell Tony that he loved him. Steve hadn’t said it to him at that point.

He felt like saying it all the time, but everything had gotten so crazy and stressful. Steve just hung up his suit, and he looked at his empty apartment.

He grabbed his keys out of the bowl and he just walked out. He needed to get some air and think.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	41. Again (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 41:Again (Part 1)

* * *

  
A sand colored sack of fabric was roughly ripped off of Tony’s head. He saw three lights above his head, but his vision was very blurry.

Tony was either knocked unconscious in the elevator, or drugged. It happened so fast, but in that moment he could barely lift his head up.

Tony knew that his body felt cold. He tried to figure out where he was, but his eyes kept rolling, and it felt like he was in slow motion.

Someone was holding onto his face. Tony felt strong fingers on his chin. It actually felt like he was waking up, or whatever drugs he was given were wearing off.

Something else was happening. His suit was alerting him of a phone call. He was receiving information, but he was unable to produce a coherent command.

Tony was very out of it, and it felt like someone was touching his arm and chest. The hands that were touching his body were not connecting to clothes.

Tony could feel their hands on his skin. He began to realize that he was not wearing clothes. He tried to look down and see what was happening.

He was being looked at. Tony was wearing underwear, but the potential buyers wanted to see him without his clothes. Tony was being presented to the highest bidder.

Howard’s son was being trafficked out for a hefty ransom, and Obidiah Stane was the one making it happen. History was repeating itself, again, and Tony didn’t know what was happening.

The Tony Stark that existed in Earth Dimension 3000-21 was oblivious to the dark depths that human trafficking reached. Everyday people were kidnapped and sold off for many different reasons.

They could have been purchased for Black Market merchandise construction, like chemical weaponry, drug hauling, or even prostitution. His father was aware of it, and he worked everyday of his life to put a stop to it.

He even put his own name and technology up for grabs, so they could follow some sort of a trail. Obidiah slipped between the cracks. He had an assortment of people lined up for Howard’s “Golden Goose”.

Tony was about to be purchased for any one of those reasons, and Obidiah didn’t care which one. He was thrilled to hear that Howard’s son had wandered into Stark Industries.

Tony fell off the grid after he moved to New York, but the opportunity finally knocked on his door. Obidiah reflected on it, as he looked at one of his “Chessmen.”

He told one of his employees to sedate Tony again. He was becoming more alert, and Obi didn’t want any trouble. He refused to trust a Stark, so he watched the man prepare the dose.

Tony felt a pair of shackles on his wrist. The faces around him started getting clearer, and he tried to speak. Wolves. Tony thought that they all were wolves.

He was possibly hallucinating, but his anxiety started picking up. With the sedatives he was given, his pulse remained at a low point. It didn’t appear abnormal. Because of a sudden spike in his anxiety, Tony’s suit became active.

“Tony? Can you hear me?”

He heard Obidiah’s voice, and Tony immediately turned his head. His vision had improved at that point, and he gave Obidiah a horrified expression.

Tony’s suit entered a protective mode. It sent an alert, and his body was covered with a translucent orange glow. His instant access to Hoggoth kicked in as well, and a protective barrier over Tony was formed.

Obidiah did not expect that. He stared at that suit, and his mouth slipped open. Tony’s body was glowing, and he kept staring at Obidiah.

The interested buyers immediately started asking questions. They asked how Howard’s son did that. They also asked what it was, and what it was made out of.

Obidiah just kept looking at it. The expression on Tony’s face started getting intimidating. A few of the people stepped back from his suit.

“Did your father make that?”

...

“What is that Tony?”

....

Tony just kept staring at Obidiah. He spoke to him like he was his friend. Tony remembered that voice. He remembered everything. That fake voice, and fake behavior took Tony back in time.

His alert was sent, and Tony received a clear response. It was just a matter of time....

“Hey, are you listening to me? Where did that come from?”

... Obidiah was dead. Tony watched him talk around his mistake. He didn’t know what was coming. That entire room had no idea what the alert meant.

Tony’s vision was still a soft blur, but his suit was hard at work. His eyes were sharpened, because his anger could not be sedated. Those people were just helping themselves to his body.

Tony knew that they touched his skin. They only inspected him, and probably looked him over, but a violation was all that Tony could think about. All of it was Obidiah’s fault.

That disgusting person said something else. Obidiah tried to touch his suit, but he snapped his hand back in fear. Hoggoth breathed and softly growled into Tony’s suit. The orange glow brightened, and those shackles melted off his wrists.

That entire room suddenly erupted with loud voices. Questions about the situation kept filling the room, while others started fleeing. They didn’t get very far, because a portal cut through the dimension.

Tony’s older self crossed over. He looked at the group, and then his eyes settled on Obidiah Stane.

Baby Tony watched him grab Obidiah’s face. It was immediate, because the older Tony did not want to hear his voice. A flash of light cut through Obidiah’s face, and the floor became covered with blood.

That roar of noise was cancelled out when the older Tony turned around. He focused on the fleeing crowd, and a bright beam built up in the center of his chest.

There was so much blood. It covered the walls, and the younger Tony felt some hit his suit. He took in a few slow breaths, and embraced his anger. The sedative made him feel sick. The thought of Obidiah Stane near his body, again, made him feel sick.

The older Tony started searching the building for anyone else. Some of them ran out of the room. He hunted them with his own razor sharp suit, and he cut them down.

Baby Tony remained in place, and he processed what happened. The younger Tony had to swallow down all the anger that was beginning to build up.

He stared down at Obidiah’s dead corpse. That beige suit had never looked better. It was covered with dark blood. Seeing that violence didn’t affect Tony at all.   


His death felt just like the damn sedative.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	42. Again (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 42:Again (Part 2)

* * *

  
Steve watched the door to the small deli open, and he had to look away when Stephen walked in. The entire place had an authentic Italian vibe to it.

Stephen took notice of that right away as he walked over toward Steve. He scanned the photographs that were on the walls, and he figured that the deli had a long history.

Stephen sat down at the little booth, and he smiled at Steve. He thought it was interesting to be meeting up with him. Interesting was a word that he mentally chewed on for a short while, then he looked around the deli again.

Steve looked up at him, and he casually returned the smile. He was in a weird mood, but he did his best not to show it.

“Ay uhh, is Tony joining you?”

Someone that worked at the deli spoke to Steve. He had a little notebook ready to write down their order, and Stephen looked him over.

Stephen thought the question about Tony was also “interesting”. He sat back against his chair, and he just watched Steve interact with the young man in the deli.

“I’m not sure. I think I’ll order him something, just in case.”

“Just the usual then?”

The man with the handy dandy notebook waited for Steve to respond. The almost-sorcerer-supreme noticed that the young man looked over at another employee. 

That employee was listening to them. Perhaps it was to hear their order, but Stephen thought that their behavior was “interesting”. He continued observing, as Steve glossed over the menu.

“Yeah, just his usual. My usual as well, then whatever he wants.”

Steve pointed at Stephen, and the deli employee gave him a smile. He had an Italian accent, and Stephen smiled back. He looked at a few other photographs that were on the walls, and he concluded something.

“I’ll need a few minutes to read your menu.”

“Fair enough. Take your time. And hey, tell Tony we said hello when you see him.”

The request for Tony was directed toward Steve, and the blonde said that he would mention it. Steve started saying that they ate there all the time. He told Stephen that the people were really nice, but Stephen carefully watched the employee head toward the back.

He mentioned Tony’s name again, and Stephen’s observation was proven correct. The sorcerer-in-training heard several thoughts, and he slowly picked up the menu that was beside his hand.

“This deli is partially owned by Tony’s father. They are only asking about him, to inform Howard.”

Stephen flipped the page in the laminated booklet, and he scanned his eyes toward the sandwiches. Steve’s jaw almost hit the table. Say what?

“How... how do you know that?”

Steve was in shock. He stared at Stephen, and watched him carefully read over the sandwich options. His eyes snapped up in Steve’s direction, and the blonde shrunk back. He felt..

“I just know.”

Stephen looked back down at the menu. Steve needed a bit more information than that. He looked back toward the deli workers, then he turned his focus toward Stephen again.

Steve suddenly felt a little fascinated with his behavior. He wanted to know how his brain worked.

“But, how do you know?”

“The photographs, and he mentioned that Tony wasn’t here to the other employee. Right now, one of them is on the phone with Howard.”

Stephen picked his sandwich. He closed the menu and focused on Steve. The blonde was busy staring at those photos. There were a ton of them, and he never took the time to acknowledge them.

He always had Tony in there with him, and Steve was always focused on him. They always took their order to go, so Steve never looked at them before.

He saw three photographs of Howard Stark right off the bat. Steve gasped every time he saw Howard. He was in complete disbelief as he read the old newspaper tag line out loud for all to hear.

“Local business tycoon, Howard Stark, invests in feeding the community. He partnered with his childhood friend, Luchino Nefaria, and opened Mama Louisa’s delicatessen.”

Holy cow. Steve could not believe his eyes. Stephen just smiled at his wide-eyed expression. He watched Steve as he sat back down.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and claim that the employees here are related to the co-owner. They look after Tony, and report to Howard when he’s here..”

Stephen remembered what Tony said to him when they first met. He said, “consider yourself constantly lied to..” and Stephen was intrigued with him ever since.

Steve was still in shock. The employee brought the order that he put in for him and Tony, then he asked Stephen if he was ready to order.

“I will take the gragnano, please.”

He picked the Italian sandwich that was stuffed with a bunch of delicious stuff. Steve’s mouth started watering when he thought about that sandwich, but he controlled himself.

The two of them didn’t say anything about the Howard thing. They just let the man take his order, then they both watched him walk away.

Steve and Stephen looked at each other again, and the almost-soldier was unsure about what to say to him. He had quite a few questions for Stephen, but he felt like it would cause some unwanted tension.

He was unaware that Stephen had developed the ability to hear his thoughts. Stephen could hear his struggle, so he decided to ease the conversation along.

“Do you want to make my order to go as well? I’d prefer to eat without someone watching.”

Steve blinked a few times and he quietly agreed. He didn’t mind Tony’s parents keeping tabs on him. He was just surprised to see how far the reach extended. 

Steve liked the deli, and he also liked the idea of Tony being protected. But he knew that Tony would be furious if he ever found out.

“We can head up to the apartment, if you want?”

Steve felt a little nervous offering that. Stephen gently agreed, and he headed over toward the deli counter. He informed the employee that he forgot to place his order to go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	43. Again (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 43:Again (Part 3)

* * *

The older Tony and Steve were standing on the opposite sides of a boxing ring. Steve was leaning against the ropes, while Tony was adjusting his gloves.

He looked pretty angry. Steve thought the massacre that occurred would have been enough to suppress the older Tony’s anger.

He was wrong. Tony wasn’t normally an angry person. He moved on from things fast, and kept going. His main man thought about that, and he watched him walk around his side of the ring.

Big Steve wondered if the increase in his anger was a Hoggoth thing. The younger Tony was resting on a bed that was four floors above their heads.

The older Steve noticed an anger in him as well, and it was something that he never really witnessed before.

Apparently, Tony Stark was completely fed up in multiple dimensions. He was a very hunted individual, and Steve knew that his enemies were always closing in.

He stared at the growing number of scars that were on his body. Steve reflected on his worst one, and it still made him sad where he stood. He currently couldn’t see the giant scar that crossed Tony’s rib cage, but he thought about it all the time.

The boxing ring was quiet. They had no “Avenger” guests around, and the two of them were lost in thought. Tony was thinking about his younger self, while Steve was thinking about Tony’s fate.

The amount of threats on his life had increased tremendously after word got out that he had the Infinity Stones. They were on red alert all the time.

Tony tied his shoe, and he started looking carefully at Steve. His main man had a small smile, and Tony wanted to get real close. He let that impulse pass, and the two of them touched gloves.

Tony was pretty friggen pissed. He took in a deep breath, and he looked up at those fluorescent lights. Steve let him have his moment. He gave him a few more seconds to pull himself together.

Tony’s eyes watered up, because he kept thinking about his baby self. Reality just hit the youngling where it truly hurt.

Playing house with a cute blonde was a thing of the past, because the flood gates were breaking open.

Steve charged toward Tony, and he went for those ribs. Tony backed up quickly, and kept his gloves in a defensive position. They weren’t play fighting. Steve was attacking him for real.

He had to keep Tony on his toes, because they never knew when someone would try to take his life, again.

The younger Tony was laying on a giant bed while they prepared for the worse. Baby Tony had a few screens displayed in front of his chest.

His clothes and filthy blue shoes were on the floor. His older self found them, but he didn’t want to even look at them.

Baby Tony felt very violated. What happened to him was nothing compared to what his older self went through, but the psychological damage could not be compared.

Tony was frozen on that bed. He was completely unsure about what an entire room full of people wanted to do with his body. Tony was deeply disturbed by being put on some sort of display, and he wanted to talk to his father.

...He slept with Obidiah Stane when he was younger. It was only a few encounters. It happened when Tony was using drugs, and running around like an idiot. He didn’t expect any consequence for that behavior, because he just wanted to feel free.

He was beginning to realize that his entire concept of freedom was bullshit. Tony didn’t even know what it really was.

He kept thinking about his life, and also his death. Tony was also re-playing a voice mail that he received while he was being carted off toward the slaughterhouse.

The message was from Steve. Tony played Steve’s message a countless amount of times.

Steve said:

“ _I’m sorry I hurt you Tony. I’ve been overthinking a few things, and I’m going to try to talk to Stephen. Meet us at Momma Louisa's later, if you want? And I..”_

Tony re-played it, then he spread the voicemail out so he could inspect the vocal signature. He started chopping it up.

“ _I’m sorry I hurt you Tony.”_

Tony took that admission, and he started breaking it down even further. He listened closely to Steve’s voice. Tony took in every word that he said.

“ _I’ve been overthinking a few things..”_

He studied the way that he said those words. Was that all that they were? Tony re-played it again, just to be sure.

_“I’m sorry..”_

He started adding musical elements to that gentle voice. Tony decided that the piece he was working on was just for him. He didn’t want to share it with anyone else.

_“And I_..”

And I.. what? Tony replayed that part. He knew that Steve was cut off. He listened to how his voice was when he was cut off, and his heart picked up speed.

And I..love you? Tony had to wonder. He turned off every screen, and he rolled over onto his left side. Baby Tony closed his eyes and he tried to rest his busy mind.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	44. Again (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 44:Again (Part 4)

* * *

  
Steve was standing in the elevator with Stephen. He had an odd feeling in his chest. He kept thinking that Tony had been gone for way too long.

They had never “fought” before. What was happening between them wasn’t technically a fight. Steve was just being a bit of a jerk, and he kept treating Tony horribly.

The blonde recognized that, and he wanted to know where Tony was.

Noisy noisy noisy. Stephen maintained a small grin, as he listened to Steve’s obsession. He had a feeling within him as well, but it did not cause Stephen to swallow himself whole.

Stephen felt the presence of Hoggoth when he entered the elevator. The feeling happened when the entity protectively filled Tony’s suit with his energy.

That meant Tony was somewhere East, but then the feeling suddenly disappeared. He let Steve stew on the lovesick aspect of Tony’s location for a bit longer as he stepped out into the comfy hallway.

He thought that Steve’s apartment complex was... quaint. Stephen felt like that word fit the description, as Steve unlocked the door.

He opened it, and held it open for Stephen. The almost-sorcerer-supreme walked toward the blonde. He had a small smile as he passed through, then Steve entered the empty apartment.

Stephen watched him set his keys into a small bowl by the door, then Steve carried the sandwiches into the adorable kitchen. Stephen immediately walked into the center of the living room, and he spotted several pictures.

Tony looked very happy with Steve. He stared at a picture of the two of them for a short while.

“I have a feeling that you aren’t going to eat?”

Steve was very hungry. He asked his question as he started unwrapping his sandwich. Stephen kept staring at Tony’s photographed smile, then he set the picture back where he found it.

“Oh, I plan to eat. Thank you.”

Steve paid for the food, and the sorcerer-in-training forgot to thank him for it. He stepped away from the captured happiness, and he slowly looked at Steve Rogers.

The fairy-tale prince was all alone in his castle. Stephen thought about that for a moment, and Steve couldn’t help but notice a change in his...”vibe”.

Steve wasn’t sure where to begin. He looked over at Tony’s sandwich, and he thought about calling him again.

“Something is wrong with Tony. He should be back by now.”

Steve didn’t think that Tony would remain mad at him like that. He’d come back and argue. That unruly brunette would eventually tell him how he felt, so Steve was certain that something happened.

Stephen stepped further into the kitchen, and he relaxed against the counter. He wasn’t standing close to Steve, but they really weren’t that far apart.

Stephen slowly closed his eyes, and he started scanning for signs of Tony. Steve just watched his behavior, and he started wondering what Stephen was doing.

He remained that way for a while, so Steve started looking at his clothing. He took a bite of his sandwich, and he noticed Stephen’s color choices.

He was wearing a dark red shirt, with black pants. He had a thin jacket on as well, and Steve thought that he looked nice. Bucky’s unexpected advice popped back up in Steve’s head, just as Stephen started listening.

He turned his head toward his right, and he slowly opened his eyelids. Stephen looked at Steve for a moment, as the blonde started devouring his sandwich again.

“Tony isn’t here. I can’t feel him anywhere.”

Steve’s face snapped to action. He immediately looked startled, and he set down the sandwich. He wanted to know where Tony was.

“Well, where did he go?”

“He could be in Hoggoth’s dimension. We can’t access that area. Just relax Steve, I felt him in the elevator. He was fine.”

Stephen seemed to sort of brush the situation off, and Steve wasn’t feeling it. He kept watching the almost-sorcerer-supreme.

He started eating his Italian sandwich, as Steve decided on where to begin their conversation.

“No offense, but I don’t think taking any Tony related advice from you is a smart idea.”

Steve was not going to “relax” for any reason. Tony didn’t just wander off like that. He was gone for a really long time, and Steve was concerned.

That idea he had about Stephen sabotaging his relationship with Tony kept popping up in his mind. Steve didn’t ignore it, because he liked to follow his gut.

Stephen was pretty surprised to hear what Steve had to share. He heard him inside his mind, and out. The would-be-sorcerer’s mouth stretched into a grin, and he placed his sandwich back on the counter.

“Now why would you say that?”

He wanted Steve to say it out loud. The almost-sorcerer waited for him to do it. He wanted Steve to finally get the show on the road.

“I’m saying that because I think you want Tony to actually do what he said to you. You want him to let me go.”

Too bad. Steve wasn’t going to get jerked around by those two. He wanted to be supportive at first, because something was going on with Stephen.

Now, the almost-wizard-supreme seemed right as rain, so Steve’s sympathy for him had settled down. Stephen kept that grin, and gave a simple response to Tony’s significant other.

He stepped closer to Steve, and he looked directly at him. Stephen was always very calculated and careful with his words.

“Your insecurity about that is not my problem.”

Their lovely little sandwich venture was slowly changing its tune. Steve didn’t like being told that he was insecure.

It also felt like he was indirectly being called a liar. Because according to Tony, Stephen double checked and made sure that Tony “let him go” before the two of them hooked up on some hotel floor.

Stephen heard those very interesting thoughts. He picked up his sandwich again. The would-be-sorcerer took a bite of his food, and patiently waited for Steve to get what he really wanted off his chest.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	45. Again (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 45:Again (Part 5)

* * *

  
Howard Stark was still in Nebraska. He had travelled to the state off and on for months, because he was cooking something up with Stephen’s father.

The two of them bonded over a temperamental tractor, and it had developed into an interesting collaboration. Tony’s mother was there as well.

Howard and Maria were thinking about buying a nice piece of property out there in the Midwest, but a phone call brought Howard out of any idea about retirement.

The only retirement for a Stark, was most likely death.

“Hello, this is Howard.”

Baby Tony was still on the giant bed. He was looking up at the ceiling, and his eyes filled with tears when he heard his father’s voice.

Tony used his suit to call him, and it took him a minute to respond.

“Dad, you’ve.. you’ve never pressured me to work for you. I can’t remember a single time when you’ve pitched any of that bullshit to me.”

Tony was a mess. He brought his hands up to his eyes, and he kept crying into them. Howard immediately knew that Tony was upset, and he looked around a dirt road.

He was outside the house that belonged to Eugene Strange, and he started pacing about. Howard received several updates about Tony throughout the week.

The last one he received was from someone that worked at a deli in New York. His close friend kept tabs on Tony for him, so Howard knew that he was not with Steve.

He figured something happened between the two of them, but Tony’s statement made him re-think his assumption.

“I could never pitch it to you Tony. What’s going on?”

Howard started getting paranoid. He could hear that his son was crying, and it was the worst feeling that Howard felt in a long time.

It took Tony a while to calm down. He mumbled a few things, but he couldn’t really explain what had happened to him. Tony didn’t friggen know what happened to him.

He thought about everything that he remembered, and it made him even more upset. He finally managed to settle on something that he could say.

“Tell me why you are doing what you do. You supply weapons, and tech, right? How does everything work?”

Tony was finally seeing the bigger picture. He was devastated about it, so he quickly wiped his face. His eyes were getting sore because he couldn’t stop crying. He felt like a baby punk as he spoke to his father, but the tears wouldn’t cease.

Howard roughly scratched one side of his head, and he switched his phone over to his other ear.

“Our product goes out, then intel about it comes in. That’s the best way I can explain it to you Tony.”

Howard was very worried. He snapped his arm forward to expose his watch. He checked the time and then he looked over at the Strange house. He wanted to go, so he looked for his wife.

“You gonna tell me what’s going on? Or, do I gotta pry it out?”

He started walking toward the beautiful home. Tony couldn’t really pull himself together in that moment. He kept mentioning that he wanted to know more. He wanted to know about more people.

That part didn’t make sense to Howard, and he waved for Maria to head his way. Tony was talking about any other people that were taken just like him.

He couldn’t say that part to his father, but Tony was doing his best.

“Tony, where are you? You’re mom and I are heading your way.”

He didn’t care where Tony was. Howard gave his wife a look that she knew very well, and she started saying goodbye to Beverly Strange. Stephen’s mother smiled at the two of them, but she felt a little sad.

Howard’s focus was only on Tony. He waited for him to answer, but Tony was still a little out of it. He started spacing out, because he glanced over at his filthy blue shoes.

He wanted his father to bring Steve with him. He wanted to see them both, but he forgot to say it out loud.

“I’m in another dimension. My older self brought me to his place. I’m technically in Stark Industries, but the building has been changed.”

He wiped the river of tears off his face and nose, and he slowly sat up. Tony felt like shit, but he brought one of his knees up to his chest.

Tony heard his father mention that he would contact his older self, and go there. He told him that he was safe where he was, and that he shouldn’t worry.

Was he really ever safe, where he was? Baby Tony didn’t agree. He almost disconnected the call, but a quick thought made it through his drugged up fog.

He spoke with his cheek pressed against his knee, but Howard heard him loud and clear.

“Can you also bring, Steve? He doesn’t know anything. I don’t want him getting upset.”

Howard didn’t know a damn thing either. The father almost mentioned that, but he forced himself to bite his tongue. He didn’t mind Steve joining, but it meant that it would take more time.

Tony was resting his face against the top of his knee. His eyes were closed, and he was drifting off. He heard his father say that he would bring Steve.   


Howard told him that he loved him, and that they were on their way.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	46. Speak In Tongues (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 46:Speak In Tongues (Part 1)

* * *

  
Bucky Barnes was buying groceries. That’s where he went after he had his conversation with Steve. He wasn’t the best grocery shopper, but he actually attempted to shop around and get everything that was on his small list.

He also walked to the market, so he carried his minimal amount of food back with him. Bucky left the elevator, and walked through the hallway. 

He walked by Steve’s door and heard Steve’s voice. His voice was raised, and he sounded very angry. The tone of his voice made Bucky stop in his tracks. The not-so-winter-soldier immediately turned his head.

“If I’m so damn insecure, then you must be incredibly insensitive. Do you want to know what WASN’T my problem?”

“...not really.”

Stephen took that remark, and decided to wear it with pride. He was insensitive, and he could tell that Steve was insecure. His sandwich was almost finished, and Steve still hadn’t gotten everything off his chest.

Stephen intentionally provoked him with his response. It seemed to work, because the blonde disregarded what was said, and told him anyway.

“YOU weren’t my problem when issues came up with your siblings. I don’t have to be let go of for any reason, but yet I actually considered it, for you.”

Steve didn’t need to do that, or anything close to it. He did it so something about Stephen could get resolved. The almost-sorcerer-supreme seemed unaffected by Steve’s response. He just stared at Steve, and waited for more.

Actually, he decided to continue provoking him.

“Really, for me.. that is so incredibly sweet.”

Stephen set that sandwich down, and Steve Rogers exploded. He hated being mocked, and the passive aggressive attitude that Stephen was dishing out got on his last nerve. Bucky heard Steve’s voice carry through the walls. He even said a few cuss words, so his friend felt like he needed to step in.

“THAT. SHIT. PISSES. ME. OFF.”

Steve’s anger was boiling and he held a glare for Stephen. They both heard three loud knocks on the door, and it took them out of their developing confrontation.

“IT’S OPEN.”

Steve didn’t lock the door. He stepped away from Stephen’s presence, and watched Bucky let himself into the space.

Stephen’s eyes instantly sharpened, because the two of them sort of united. They both looked at Stephen, and the energy in that apartment changed.

Bucky left his groceries by the door, and he was immediately prepared to back up Steve. It didn’t matter who he was yelling at in the apartment.

Bucky saw that it was Stephen Strange, so he took in a slow breath.

There were no exchanged greetings or welcoming salutes between Stephen and the two best friends from the 1930s. There were only angered expressions, and one gesture that meant Stephen could easily LEAVE.

Steve didn’t need to deal with him. His priority was making things right with Tony. Stephen heard that thought, but he changed his focus over to Bucky Barnes.

“Thank you for being there for Donna and Victor. Even if you were being paid...”

Stephen only had that to say, but his eyes remained razor-sharp. Bucky took two slow steps. His eyebrows lifted upward, and he tried to process what Stephen actually said to him.

He was pretty shocked. Steve glanced over at Bucky, and that anger within him slightly softened. Bucky held a few thoughts in his head. He almost responded to Stephen, but something happened that brought them all out of their thoughts.

The phone rang loudly in the apartment. Steve gave a startled gasp, and he stepped away from all the tension. He answered it, and he listened to Howard’s voice.

Bucky kept looking at Stephen. He wanted to talk to him about several things. The sorcerer-in-training just turned his focus back to his sandwich, and he resumed where he left off with it. Stephen was listening to everything, but that was something he decided to keep to himself.

Howard was telling Steve about Tony. The blonde was hearing him, but his body started freaking out. He felt a little more than panicked as he heard what was going to happen.

“Ok. I’m here, until you get me. Bucky is here too, and Stephen.”

Steve didn’t know why he mentioned that, but he thought that Howard needed to know. They both looked over at Steve. The soldier boy looked like he was about to pass out or something. He looked very overwhelmed and shook up.

Howard said that he needed to speak to all of them. He told Steve that they all needed to join him, because everyone needed to be on the same page.

“Don’t let Stephen Strange leave. He’s part of this too, so I want you to keep him close.”

Stephen heard what Howard said. He kept staring at one of the cupboards in the kitchen, and he listened in on the conversation.

Steve was pretty out of it. He quietly agreed with what Howard said, but he didn’t say anything about it to the other people in the room.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	47. Speak In Tongues (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 47:Speak In Tongues (Part 2)

* * *

The older Steve showed up in the apartment. He brought Stephen, Bucky, and Baby Steve to another dimension of Earth. They were also in the future, and standing in the middle of a building that belonged to the “Avengers”.

That detail didn’t really matter, but the three of them thought the building was super snazzy. Stephen kept looking around, but he mainly kept to himself.

Bucky and Baby Steve stood close together, while Howard entered the large room. He had been speaking with Tony, and he knew everything that happened to him.

Howard looked very depressed. The father pushed through what he was told, and asked the older Tony to display something with his technology.

The younger Steve kept looking in the direction where he saw Maria Stark walking. He wanted to follow her, and talk to Tony. Steve kept looking in that direction, while Howard started talking to everyone in the room.

The older Tony projected a map of New York for all to see. He gave that version of his father the ability to manipulate his technology, and Howard started touching several parts of the imagery.

“Tony was taken out of Stark Industries today. He was plucked right out of the elevator, and carted off to some shack in Kunar.”

Howard pointed where Tony was taken. Steve turned his focus back to the small group, and it felt like his heart gained ten pounds. His chest felt very heavy, and a dizzy feeling wouldn’t go away.

“I need you guys to understand what we are doing. I don’t just manufacture weapons.. there is much more to it. Which means there is always going to be a horrible risk.”

Howard touched three different buildings that were on the map. They were immediately illuminated, and Howard looked up at one person.

Stephen Strange wasn’t facing the others. His posture was turned slightly away, and he was standing outside the group.

Howard started deliberately speaking to HIM, and the sorcerer-in-training didn’t understand why.

“These two already know their part in this. Bucky and Steve work for S.H.I.E.L.D. and they are aware of threats that will be heading Tony’s way.”

He pointed at Steve and Bucky. Stephen glanced over at the two of them, and then he looked over at the older versions of Steve and Tony.

Yeah? So what...

Stephen was aware that Tony was going to be under some form of threat. He was supposed to become the “Iron Man” after all, so he did have some level of understanding.

Stephen kept wondering why Howard Stark always asked about him, or spoke about him behind the scenes. The younger sorcerer watched Howard’s hand point toward the third building that was illuminated.

“When we put this all together, ages ago, we figured out that we have the heart and two shields. This building contains the second shield. Stark Industries supplies the weaponry and tech, then the two shields get to work.”

Stephen studied the building that was next to Howard’s hand. He was pointing at the old building in Greenwhich Village. Stephen entered that building before he left the world with Clea, and he did not want to return.

“The Mystic Shield component is located there. Then, over here in Union City...we have S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Just across the pond, Howard pointed at the location where Bucky and Steve worked. The base of operations for S.H.I.E.L.D. was in Union City.

Stark Industries was in Manhattan. Those three buildings formed a perfect triangle, and Stephen didn’t think it was a coincidence.

Howard stood up straight. He pointed one hand toward Stephen, and the other one toward Baby Steve.

“You two are the shields, whether you like it or not. The two shields should be working together, while Tony takes the heat.”

Stark Industries was always meant to be the flash in the pan. Howard designed it to be the shiny penny that took in all the attention.

The other two components were supposed to handle business behind the scenes, and protect the heart at all costs. That plan was obviously slipping, because Tony was taken in broad daylight.

“You two need to figure something out, because this isn’t working. We are getting way too comfortable.”

Howard ended his mini-lecture, because Stephen and Steve were failing at their unforeseen responsibilities. Stephen was barely even connected to the Mystic Arts at that point, and Steve Rogers was still playing house.

The almost-sorcerer-supreme slowly looked in Steve’s direction. Baby Steve glanced over at him, and they both felt annoyed.

...whatever.

Stephen looked away, but he listened to Maria Stark when she walked up. She told Steve that Tony wanted to see him.

The blonde smiled at her. He didn’t give Stephen Strange another second of his attention. Baby Steve followed Tony’s mother, and he completely ditched the group.

It felt better for Stephen after Steve was gone. He turned his focus back to Howard, and he even stepped a little closer toward the map.

“When you say the Mystic Shield, are you referring to the Tao Mandalas?”

Stephen was talking about the bright protective shields that he was able to conjure up through the mystic arts. Howard stepped through the display, and he stood in front of Stephen.

“Yes. Steve has his physical shield, while you are supposed to have the mystic one.”

It’s how it was supposed to be. Howard needed help protecting his son, and so many others from what Tony went through.

Stephen heard Howard’s thoughts, and he took his attention over to Bucky. Bucky already understood what his role was. He didn’t need a lecture, so he just kept to himself.

Stephen felt like he was being recruited... or something. He took a small step backward, and contemplated all the different thoughts that he was hearing.

He also started hearing all the sugar-filled thoughts that were going on where Tony was.  


The lovey-dovey thoughts that he heard made him step back from Howard, and return to the spot that was far away from the group.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	48. Speak In Tongues (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 48:Speak In Tongues (Part 3)

* * *

Maria let Steve into the bedroom where Tony was resting. He was almost back to normal, but the heavy amount of sedatives made him feel all loopy.

Tony had a warm blanket over his legs, and he brought it up toward his chest when Steve entered the room.

Tony was sitting up on the bed, and he looked like he had been crying all day. Steve slowly crossed the large room. He didn’t even hear Maria close the bedroom door.

She gave the two of them their space, and she walked back to the others. The older Tony started talking to the group about multiple threats that they were eventually going to have to face.

They were trying to get through to Stephen, because he felt like his place was in the Dark Dimension.

Baby Steve and Tony didn’t hear any of that. Steve stepped toward the bed, and he sat down on the edge. He apologized to Tony again, and told him that he felt like it was his fault.

The brunette didn’t agree with that statement. It wasn’t Steve’s fault at all, but he was unable to argue. He just wanted Steve to move closer to him. Tony reached out for him a little, with his mind and his hands.

Stephen Strange could hear that. He was listening to everyone tell him a bunch of important crap. YES, he knew that he had responsibilities. YES, he was aware that Tony had an impending doom.

Stephen wanted to protect him. He was aware of all of it, but his mind kept resisting. He couldn’t turn off what he picked up from Agamotto any longer.

He could hear them all at once, but what was happening in the other room pulled his focus. Baby Steve had moved over, just like Tony wanted.

He finally told Tony that he loved him. Steve had only wrote about it in a letter, but now it was said to him in person. Tony’s whirling mind heard what Steve said, and it made that brunette slowly smile.

Steve moved that blanket away from Tony’s chest, and the two of them started kissing. They felt very alone in that bedroom, so it escalated pretty quickly.

That blanket found its way around them, and Tony was only wearing underwear. Steve discovered that quickly, and it was getting hard for them to behave. Steve kept kissing Tony, and running his hands over that warm skin.

Tony covered up a soft gasp, and he looked over at the door. Steve’s hand traveled around the only fabric that Tony was wearing, then he gently moved it in.

They couldn’t stop themselves from going further. Tony and Steve were way too comfortable and familiar with one another, so they impulsively started preparing for something quick.

They just wanted to get what they felt out of their system, and then check in with the others. It just... kept.. building..

Tony roughly held Steve’s lips against his. He needed to bite his mouth, and lick his yummy tongue. Their kiss was just as smoking hot as it was outside the apartment, but this time... Tony was a little drugged up.

He let Steve breathe a little, but the blonde was getting greedy. He brought his lips to Tony’s shoulder, and he kept kissing his skin. It started getting hot underneath that blanket. Their movements started picking up on that bed, and Steve’s skin was getting exposed.

His pants were opened up, and that golden waist was touching Tony’s skin. He kept running his hands up Steve’s clean shirt, and quietly saying that he needed to hurry up.

Tony needed to feel him before his mother opened the door. Steve’s hand was still housed in his underwear. He started biting Tony’s neck to keep quiet, and he felt all the insecurities about Stephen chip away.

Tony was with HIM on that bed, not Stephen, and all of his rudeness. Steve started fixating on that as he spread Tony open a little more for him. They tried to quietly move and adjust beneath that blanket, as Steve eventually removed his hand.

Tony looked over at the door again, but nothing between them was gonna stop. It was way too late for that. Steve had Tony’s hips raised up, and they started working out all of their miscommunication. 

If his mother or father knocked or walked in, they would see something that happened to Tony all the time. He was always doing something kinky or intimate with Steve.

It was a constant activity in that apartment, and the two of them were never quiet about it. They tried to keep it down in that moment. They were also trying to make it a quick encounter, so Tony slapped one of his hands over Steve’s mouth.

No one could hear them outside the large room. The others were deliberating with Howard, but three people could feel what was going on. The older Steve and Tony knew what was going on in that bedroom, and they kept exchanging playful looks.

The third person that knew was Stephen. He knew they were all over each other. Of course they were...

Stephen kept thinking that Steve Rogers was very correct with all his good-natured assumptions. He was correct, and Stephen started tuning everyone out.

Stephen wanted Tony to actually let Steve go. That fairy-tale prince got on his last nerve. Stephen’s emotions about that weren’t controllable. Agamotto knew that, and it’s why Stephen’s feet were all cut up when he trained him.

He felt all of their energy swirling together, so he decided that he needed to leave. Stephen mentally returned to the room that he was in, and he looked over at Bucky Barnes.

Stephen brought his right arm up, and a portal immediately took him and Bucky back to their own dimension.

Wait, what? It was just Stephen Strange and Bucky, on a Manhattan street. The not-so-winter-soldier was shocked by the sudden change, and he stared at the person that orchestrated it.

Stephen tried to distract himself, so he looked over at Bucky. He knew that Bucky had something to tell him, so he stepped onto the sidewalk, and waited.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	49. Speak In Tongues (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 49:Speak In Tongues (Part 4)

* * *

  
“You’re getting pretty good at that wizard, stuff..”

Bucky noticed how easy it was for Stephen to transport them to a completely different time and dimension. It was accomplished with just a gesture.

The not-so-winter-soldier could tell that he was becoming the person that he read about in some S.H.I.E.L.D. file. Stephen Strange was supposed to develop abilities that made him somewhat omnipotent, and very dangerous.

It was pretty intimidating, but Bucky wasn’t about to admit that out loud. That dangerous person just kept staring at Bucky. He didn’t respond, because he was waiting to hear some sort of confession.

Bucky looked around him, and he noticed that they were outside Donna’s work. He could see people walking around inside the small shop, and Bucky’s stomach dropped down to his feet.

He had a feeling that Stephen already knew everything, and that thought started making Bucky pretty nervous.

He looked away from the fancy clothing store, and then he turned his focus entirely on Donna’s older brother. He looked at him, and tried to play his cards right. Stephen friggen Strange hated him.

He already tried to kill him what? Three times? Bucky wasn’t sure, but he knew that Stephen didn’t want him around.

He just thanked him for being around for Donna and Victor. Bucky thought about that for a moment, and he just looked at the sidewalk.

Howard didn’t pay him a dime to be there for Victor or Donna. Bucky just thought it was the best thing to do.

Stephen listened to all of those interesting thoughts, and he saw his little sister. She was speaking to someone in the store, and oblivious to the two people that were standing outside her work.

Bucky swallowed down a few other thoughts. He wanted a cigarette, badly, and all the silence between them was torture. Stephen was aware of Bucky’s discomfort, but he didn’t care.

“So, what are your intentions with Donna? Are you going to keep walking her home?”

Cat got your tongue? Stephen had one eyebrow raised, and a small smile on his face. He already knew the answer to that. He already knew everything that the two best friends from the 1930s had locked in their uncultured heads.

It felt like some sort of emotional chess game, and Stephen knew that he had the upper hand. His ability to hear through any bullshit was kinda nice. The almost-sorcerer-supreme waited to hear some form of it from Bucky. In fact, he expected it.

“I was thinking about possibly taking her out, to a movie maybe? Or..”

Dinner? Bucky brought his shoulders up, and he just admitted what he felt. It wasn’t a power play, or a game for him. He liked Donna, and unfortunately he was at odds with her damn brother.

What a crying shame. Bucky was hoping to possibly, work on that? He just waited for Stephen, and he kept looking over at the fancy dress shop. Bucky’s mind wandered toward the fact that Donna wasn’t even supposed to be alive.

His traveling thought sparked something in Stephen, because he wanted his little sister to live more than anything. Stephen even attempted to take her place. So, Stephen took in a very slow breath, and he softly spoke to Bucky.

“I think she would be interested in that. Donna really seems to like you, for some odd reason.”

Stephen actually had a small smile on his face. It wasn’t a sarcastic one either. It was a smile that Bucky had never seen before. It shocked him. Stephen having his siblings in his life completely altered his personality.

He was much more easy going, and relatively happier than his older self. Bucky became even more nervous, because he was only used to being on Stephen’s bad side. He took in the comment that he made about Donna, and he started shifting his jacket around.

“So wait, I’m not going to get the whole, if you hurt my sister I’ll kill you speech?”

Bucky was expecting some sort of threat. He didn’t really know Stephen as well as he’d like. The older brother heard his question, and he took exactly two steps toward Bucky Barnes.

Donna noticed the two of them at that point. Stephen could hear what she was saying to her co-workers. He kept looking at the person that intended to date his resurrected sister, and he spoke very clearly.

“If you’re actually dumb enough to hurt my sister, I will make you beg for death.”

Stephen would fuck him up. He wasn’t playing around with that. Stephen meant it, and he would stick by it until someone took their dying breath.

Bucky believed him. He held an awkward smile, and noticed that the shop door opened. Donna asked to take her lunch early, because she needed to know WHY her older brother was outside her work with the person that was paid to walk her home.

She stopped just in front of them. Donna hesitantly looked at one, then the other. Stephen looked at his sister, and he gently smiled.

“What’s going on?”

She wasn’t sure where to look. Bucky registered Stephen’s big brother statement, and he had a small smile on his face as well. Donna was wearing another skirt. The color reminded him of a rose, and her blouse was dark blue.

Bucky couldn’t really answer her. He swallowed whatever words he had, and Stephen became the one that spoke up.

“We were just talking. I’m leaving.”

Stephen had a few things that he needed to look into. He stepped away from his sister, while she took a large step in her brother’s direction.

“HEY.”

Her voice stopped him from going any further. Stephen only turned his head, and he saw his sister behind him. She didn’t know what the deal was between them, but she wasn’t going to let Stephen walk off like that.

“It’s your turn to make dinner, for once. I can’t take another one of Victor’s weird meals.”

Donna had been eating Victor’s crappy cooking for months. She wasn’t going to accept any form of no from Stephen either. The older brother heard that, and he tried to hide his amusement.

“Sounds good. I’ll be there this evening.”

Stephen left the two of them, and he headed toward a specific place. He was contemplating all that noise he heard in the other dimension, and it made him walk away from Bucky and Donna.

They both watched Stephen take off, and then the silence sort of kicked in. Bucky turned his focus toward Donna, but the cat still had his tongue.

She glanced back toward her job, and she noticed that her co-workers were watching them. That made her heat up fast, and she immediately started walking away from the door.

“I have an hour lunch, so..”

Donna kept migrating away from her work, and it didn’t take Bucky that long to follow her lead.

He mentioned that he would join her, and they just started walking.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	50. Speak In Tongues (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 50:Speak In Tongues (Part 5)

* * *

Baby Steve wanted Stephen Strange to know exactly what he was doing with Tony. That idea was very tempting for the soldier-in-training, but he resisted. Tony’s parents were way too close for comfort. That was the only reason why Steve kept everything quiet.

He saw Tony’s red face against a powder blue bedsheet, and he slowly brought his motions to a close. They both rode out what they felt, and now they were just a breathing hot mess.

The pillows were shoved off the bed, and that burning hot blanket was tossed aside. Tony kept staring at the blue sheet that was beneath him. Steve turned him over at some point, and he wasn’t sure if he was quiet or not. 

It felt too good for him to care. Tony closed his eyes, and he listened to Steve’s scattered breathing. He felt that blonde kiss the back of his neck and shoulders. Steve moved backward from Tony, and he started lifting his pants up from his knees.  


Steve brought them over his waist, and he tried to zip them without making a sound.

He actually ripped Tony’s underwear. Steve finally noticed it, and he quietly tried to fix the fabric over his skin. Was Steve gunna sew it all back together? Tony found that amusing, but he didn’t want to move.

Tony gently exhaled against the blue sheet, and he started chewing on his bottom lip. Something really got into Steve’s head during that quick encounter. Tony noticed something about his behavior, and it made him almost melt.

Steve seemed extra whipped up, and turned on over something. It left Tony in a very pleasured daze. The brunette thought that it might have been about the kidnapping fiasco, but his gut started migrating somewhere else.

Tony finally rolled over onto his back. He glanced at the bedroom door, and listened for movement or voices. He didn’t hear a thing, so he decided to speak on something that slipped into his thoughts.

“Soooooo, how did it go at Momma Luisa’s?”

Tony remembered the voicemail that Steve left him. He said that he planned to talk to Stephen, and the two of them were at the deli by the apartment.

Steve was fixing his shirt, and he froze up with the sudden question. Tony saw Steve freeze up, but the would-be-soldier-boy just cleared his throat. He tried to stretch a few wrinkles out of his shirt, and he thought about how to respond.

“It went ok. We talked, it was fine.”

Wrong. It didn’t go as planned at all. Steve wanted to avoid any further discussion about that. He didn’t want to think about Stephen Strange, hear his name, or give that jerk anymore space in his head.

Steve gave Tony a gentle kiss. He hoped it would end the subject entirely, but he was wrong. Tony gave into the kiss, but he wanted to get to the bottom of Steve’s behavior.

Tony eventually ended that kiss, and he playfully kept digging about Stephen.

“I thought it was super weird, and random for the two of you-.”

“It.. he called the apartment, after you left. That’s why we met at the deli.”

Steve’s body started flaring up again. He didn’t meant to interrupt Tony, but he also didn’t expect to get jumped with questions. The questions did something to his nerves, and it had Steve all in a frenzy. Tony kept bringing up Stephen.

It was confusing Steve’s body. He was feeling two separate things at once. He glanced at the bedroom door, and cleared his throat again.

“He asked you to go? Without me there?”

Tony thought that was really weird for Stephen. He sat up straight, and looked over at his filthy clothes and shoes. His underwear was destroyed, because of Steve’s sexy mood. He was very turned on, and aggressive. 

Tony even thought that he was a little angry when they got down to business. Steve clearly didn’t want to answer Tony’s last question. He was the one that asked Stephen to join him.

Bucky’s advice dominated his thoughts, and he just impulsively asked Stephen out for a sandwich. It was...

Steve couldn’t talk about it anymore. He gave Tony a careless sort-of shrug, and he picked up Tony’s clothes. He asked Tony if he wanted to wear them, or he said that he could ask the older Tony for a change of clothes.

Tony just kept staring at his face. His rosy face was completely blowing Tony’s mind to the moon. What in the actual fuhhhhkkk was going on with Steve??

“WHOA, hold it. What are you doing? Hello?”

Tony didn’t want his damn clothes. He needed to shower, and get his life together. All of that could happen AFTER he knew more about the sandwich thing. Tony ignored all the clothes that Steve had in his hands.

“What did Stephen say to you on the phone? Run it by me, word for word.”

TONY NEEDED THAT SHIT ANSWERED ASAP. Steve continued to act all squirrelly and weird about the subject. Steve asked him to drop it, and a dozen more questions started scattering around in Tony’s mind.

He looked very shocked, and Steve’s sexy behavior while they were getting BUSY was starting to get a little more clear to him. Was the super sexy anger directed at Stephen, or with Stephen? Tony started getting confused.

“I’m going to see if there is a shower.”

Steve mentioned his plan, and then he was up off that bed in an instant. Crazy scenarios and what-ifs started rambling on in Tony’s mind. He watched Steve vacate the area, but the brunette kept thinking.

He fully intended to ask Stephen about their little sandwich date as soon as he could. Tony needed to know every little thing, because that blonde was acting way too bizarre.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	51. Baby, I’m Dying (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 51:Baby, I’m Dying (Part 1)

* * *

Stephen eventually arrived at 221 Bleecker Street. He stared up at the old door, and he let himself in. The place still seemed abandoned.

Stephen took a moment to look around the room that he walked into, and he couldn’t hear a single sound.

The look on Howard Stark’s face was actually nagging on his conscience. Not protecting Tony was also getting to him, so he decided to wander into the building for the second time.

It oddly felt like he had been there for the millionth time. Stephen slowly walked toward the giant staircase, and he stopped at the bottom. He had to stop because he felt a small vibration coming from the amulet.

Stephen touched the front of his shirt, and he felt the Eye of Agamotto underneath. Stephen thought that the entity within the eye wanted to speak to him.

... well, he was busy.

Stephen walked up the stairs, but nothing in the building moved around. Everything inside the Sanctum Sanctorum was synced and locked onto Stephen’s movements.

The Sanctum was very alive, but it was silently waiting for Stephen to finally return. He had no knowledge of this, of course. Stephen just walked up the stairs, and he entered the room that was only intended for him.

He immediately saw that floating cloak. It was in the same exact place as before, but this time ...Stephen stepped closer.

The Cloak of Levitation expanded as he stepped up to it. Its height mirrored the width of his shoulders, and it seemed excited to see him. Stephen kept looking at it, until he felt his clothing alter.

He was just in front of the red cloak, and he looked down at his chest and arms. The Eye of Agamotto was brought above the fabric of his shirt, and everything that he was wearing started turning dark blue.

Stephen watched the straps form over his arms and legs, and then he glanced back over at the floating cloak. It waited for Stephen to take his final step.

The almost-sorcerer-supreme hesitated. His Halloween costume had a mind of its own, and he still wasn’t sure if he wanted to wear it. Howard’s comments about the Mystic Shield filled his mind again. He thought about protecting Tony, and his siblings.

Those nagging thoughts settled something within Stephen. They cemented a decision in his mind, so Stephen took that final step. He walked up to the Cloak of Levitation, and slowly turned around. His back was facing it, and Stephen felt it gently cover his shoulders.

That thing was very heavy. Stephen sunk down a little when it first attached to his back, but then his perfect posture returned.

Things started rolling after Stephen made his decision. The room he stood in instantly brightened up. The entire building seemed to spark itself back to life. It didn’t appear old any longer, and Stephen even saw some color spread over the walls.

All of the pieces to Stephen’s puzzle finally came together, so the Sanctum Sanctorum was open for business. Stephen immediately left his loft and walked back out toward the stairs. The cloak felt familiar to him as he walked, and he confidently crossed the building.

Stephen knew exactly where he was going, and he thought that it was the oddest thing. He had some thinking to do about the incident with Tony.

He didn’t know what Howard was really asking of him, but he needed to figure it out. He entered the meditation room that was built just for him, and he stepped toward the center.

Stephen sat down in the middle of a large symbol. The door to the room closed on its own, and he brought the amulet into view. The Sorcerer Supreme decided to rewind the clock, and see exactly what happened to Tony.

Once he opened the amulet, the room started glowing. Everything was bright green, and Stephen took himself back in time. He followed all of Tony’s movements, and he stopped the clock when the older Tony arrived to set him free.

Stephen kept his focus on the younger Tony. He stood up in the room, and circled the scene.

He noticed something about the two of them, and he wasn’t sure if it was a common thing. Stephen forced the amulet to return him to the present, and then he started looking into other versions of Tony Stark.

He found one that interacted with the older Tony that he knew, and he started digging. Stephen was back in a seated position.

He was unaware that he was floating, and busy scanning thousands of interactions with the first Tony Stark that killed Thanos.

He used the Infinity Stones, and lost his life. Since that incident, the dimensions had fallen into a bit of madness. Now, the other versions of Tony Stark seemed to be gathering and housing the Infinity Stones.

Stephen was looking for a crystal clear pattern that began with every single Tony Stark. That individual was all over the place in any dimension, but Stephen was sure that he could figure it out.

He felt like he really needed to understand it, because the Infinity Stones were always connected to his death.

Stephen noticed that the two versions of Tony that he knew passively possessed the Mind Stone. Stephen didn’t understand why, or how he even got it. 

He started thinking that Tony always possessed it, but he had to be sure. The Mind Stone was a consistent thing for every Tony Stark. Stephen kept scanning, and scanning through multiple versions of his life.

He was sifting through millions of happy Tony Stark memories at that point. Stephen saw a ton of sad memories, and eventual deaths. The Mind Stone was still consistent, and the pattern kept growing.

He moved onto another version of Tony, then another. The Mind Stone showed up again and again, so Stephen stopped.

Tony either obtained the Mind Stone from someone, or he was always unaware that he possessed it. Either way, he was always routinely placing it into his technology in every version. It always became something called Vision. 

Stephen started his search again, and something else kept routinely popping up. His interactions with Steve Rogers were dominating the time spans as well.

Stephen was forced to see the two of them orbit one another over and over again. Steve Rogers always had a very strong presence in Tony’s life.

Stephen closed his eyes, and he tried to force his mind to filter Steve out, somehow. He saw it as a distraction, and it was pulling him away from the pattern.

In a way, Tony was Vision? He was a by-product of Tony’s tech after all, and the concealment of the Mind Stone. When Vision existed physically in a dimension, Tony Stark always died..

Stephen kept his search going. He let the Steve thing go for a hot minute, and he kept hunting around for something more solid. He only had a growing theory about Tony and Vision.

Stephen brought himself back to the Tony that existed there with him in Earth Dimension 3000-21. He had Tony in a familiar moment between the two of them, and he abruptly stopped his search.

He kept looking at their “Baby Tony”as he was standing outside the door of a hotel. Stephen remembered how he finally felt ready to approach Tony outside that door, and didn’t know why he decided to torture himself.  


He kept staring at the expression that was on Tony’s face, and then he quickly closed the amulet.

The green light in the room faded away, and Stephen just blankly stared.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	52. Baby, I’m Dying (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 52:Baby, I’m Dying (Part 2)

* * *

  
Baby Tony kept rubbing a warm and comfy towel all over his crazy hair. They took the quickest shower ever, and Tony followed Steve into the large room where his parents were.

They entered that space and desperately avoided eye contact with everyoneeeeee.

Baby Tony had a feeling that everyone heard them, but it couldn’t be helped. He was put in a drastic situation, so a yummy hook-up was mandatory.

He held onto Steve’s hand as they walked, and the two them joined the others. Baby Tony kept his eyes locked onto his father’s polished shoes. He managed to bring his eyes up toward him, but someone else walked right into his line of sight.

His older self had a fiendish look on his face. Their father was talking about the Stark Expo, and some big reveal that he was planning. Baby Tony’s body jerked up from shock. It also started heating up very quickly, because the smirk was too much.

“Whatcha been doin, mini-me?”

The older Tony had to laugh. He knew exactly what those two bastards were doing. They both tried to play it off, and they even tried to seem all cute. Baby Steve was staring off at his own shoes, and he tried to hide those rosy pink cheeks.

“I’m not.. I didn’t do anything. He.. I was sleeping.”

Right. The older Tony playfully laughed again, and he rolled his brown eyes. He stole a quick look over at his main man. The older Steve was actually focused on Howard. He was interested in his plans for the Expo, and it felt good for him to have a small break.

He was still handling the role of Sorcerer Supreme for the older Stephen, and it was a hefty workload for Steve.

Baby Tony gently gripped a very warm hand, and he pressed his burning face against Steve’s arm. He wanted to go back home, or just keep his face exactly where it was.

That adorable idea was instantly interrupted, because someone suddenly showed up in the middle of the room. It looked like the older Stephen just randomly wooshed into the building.

Baby Tony just stared at him. He watched Big Stephen walk right up to his father.

Everyone became super focused on the older Stephen. Wasn’t he on vacation, or something?Baby Tony was hella confused. He looked up that strong arm, and noticed a bewildered expression on Steve’s face as well.

The older Stephen Strange was telling Howard that he looked into the incident with Tony, and that he had some additional information to give him.

Hold the friggen phone. Baby Tony’s eyes actually started working. He blinked them over and over, and the older Stephen started looking a little less ...older.

He was kinda resembling the younger Stephen more and more.

But, he was wearing all that Wizard Supreme stuff. Tony’s stomach officially turned over beneath his rib cage, because he got a better look at his handsome face. It actually was the younger Stephen.

“This is a list of everyone that Obidiah Stane was in contact with, and everyone else that was killed in the room. I also looked into who they were associated with, so that gives you something you can go on.”

Stephen handed Howard a piece of paper. He figured that was the best way for him to help out in that moment. Howard was pretty shocked. He stood there with his mouth opened a little, and then he looked at all the other people in the room.

Did anyone else see the wizard arrive? Or, was Howard going crazy? He pulled himself together and looked at the list.

“This is great. Thank you.”

Howard thanked Stephen for the information. The Sorcerer Supreme was officially in the house, and he briefly turned his attention toward the others.

Baby Tony was about to ask him something out loud, but he decided to bite his tongue. Stephen directed his focus toward the older Tony Stark. He turned in his direction, and walked over to him.

He had information to share with every Tony out there, but he decided to only share it with one. Stephen made that decision quickly, since the younger Tony was still hanging all over Steve.

Stephen noticed that when he did a quick look around the room.

“I’m looking into the connection between you and the Mind Stone. I’ve come to a dead end when it comes to something called Vision, but, I’ll possibly figure it out..”

He had a feeling that self preservation was a constant thing in the older Tony’s mind. Now that the younger one was attacked, the deep feeling of doom was most of what Stephen could sense from them both.

The older Tony turned his head to the side, and he smiled at the Baby Douchebag Wizard Pizza Supreme. His smile was wide, then he glanced over at his younger self.

“Only possibly?”

The older Tony continued to smile. He was confident that Stephen Strange would figure something out. It’s what he always did, and how he functioned.

The younger Stephen responded with a small shrug, and the older Tony noticed that he had a gentle smile. He thought that Baby Stephen looked very charming, and happier than the older version that he knew.

His body language changed when the younger Tony asked him if he could read the list. Baby Tony wanted to see it, and he finally decided to speak up.

Stephen froze up for just a moment. His charming behavior was altered and he looked a little sad. Stephen was quick to hide that shift in his mood, but the older Tony saw it.

Stephen turned around, and he finally looked at the younger Tony. 

“What for?”

Stephen didn’t want a repeat of the massacre that he saw when he went back in time. He stepped closer to the younger Tony and Steve, and he wondered if that was ... ok?

Everything felt different between them, and he wasn’t sure if it could be fixed.

“I’m going to start working for Stark Industries, didn’t you know?”

Baby Tony spoke just as playfully as his older self. Stephen forgot to respond, and he just took in Tony’s appearance.

Stephen saw Steve’s hand, and he gave the almost-soldier a small smile. Steve returned the smile... a little.

“So, I need the list. Hand it over.”

He wanted Stephen to re-write the entire thing, and then scan a copy of it for his future secretary. Baby Tony was already imagining his amazing office, with a beautiful view.

Stephen heard his thoughts. He almost laughed at Tony’s stupidity. Stephen was busy listening, and he forgot that he was keeping that information to himself. He cleared his throat quickly, and pointed at Howard.

“Tony, it’s right over there.”

Stephen gave the list away, remember? The question should have went to Howard Stark. The younger Tony turned a few shades warmer, and he hid his face against Steve’s arm again. Oh yeah.

He laughed pretty loudly, and he just started looking at Stephen’s clothes. The interaction was getting... interesting, so Stephen mentioned that he needed to head back.

“WAIT. No, I have other questions.”

Tony grabbed those blue straps that covered Stephen’s wrist. The Sorcerer looked down at Tony’s hand, and then he focused on Steve.

Tony was looking up at STEVE as well. He had some questions about a phone call and some sandwiches. That gesture made Steve get a little nervous. Tony would not drop the damn subject, and it ...

“Would you three get the hell out of here?? You are seriously buggin.”

The older Tony had to end that SHIT immediately. He wanted all three of them to go kick rocks, because the older Steve and Tony no longer had a Maria or Howard to talk to. 

That was a very long story, and not one that the older Tony needed to think about. He wanted his younger self to leave his friggen dimension.

He got what he asked for, because Baby Steve formed a portal. He took the three of them to the first floor of the apartment complex. Steve needed to check the mail, but then he planned to dip out.

He didn’t want to talk to Stephen, be around Stephen, or even think about Stephen Strange any longer. The almost-soldier went straight for the mailbox, and then he took the elevator.

He figured that Tony and Stephen could catch up in the lobby, or go get a sandwich. Steve really didn’t care. He just went off on his own, and left the scene.

Stephen watched him leave, and he noticed that Tony removed his hand from his wrist. Tony was wondering what was wrong with Steve, but Stephen had a pretty good idea...

He told Tony that he needed to head back to his siblings. He mentioned something about making dinner. Tony didn’t like what was happening, so he turned and looked up at Stephen.

Those two hadn’t looked at one another in a really long time. It made Stephen nervous, so he took a few steps back.

“I’ll see you around Tony. I’m glad you survived.”

Stephen had to go, because he wasn’t liking what was going on either. Steve was not in the mood to see him, and Stephen didn’t want to make it worse.

He gave Tony a small smile, but he had to retreat back to 221 Bleecker Street. Stephen returned to his loft, and he removed his cloak. The Sorcerer Supreme left Tony in the apartment lobby.

They both left him standing in the damn lobby. Tony still had a damn towel over his shoulders, and filthy clothes. He kinda glared and started mad pressing the buttons for the elevator to take him up.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	53. Baby, I’m Dying (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 53:Baby, I’m Dying (Part 3)

* * *

Tony knew a roadblock when he saw one. He journeyed up to the apartment, and he slowly walked up to his precious boyfriend. Steve was actually going through the damn mail...........

Tony kept staring at him, and he patiently waited. Oh wait, fuck that.

“You owe me underwear.”

Tony just gave Steve that gentle remark, and he headed straight for their bedroom. He heard Steve give off a small laugh. Tony’s comment hit a funny bone, and the blonde couldn’t hide his reaction. 

Tony’s fancy designer underwear was hanging on by a thread. Steve was very amused with that, and he kept smiling about it. Steve was actually reading the monthly newsletter that the landlord put in every mailbox. It highlighted several tenants, and even showed the times for the monthly raffle.

Steve was really into shit like that, and Tony had no idea that it was even a thing. He left to change his clothes, and the brunette took in a deep breath about Steve and Stephen. Those two reminded him of a boiling hot bowl of soup.

The soup was yummy, of course. It had an interesting mixture of something spicy and sweet. Tony thought about the dark sweet sauce that he sometimes put in his soup. Sweet and spicy, Steve and Stephen.

Tony really wanted soup. He thought about it for a bit longer, as he pulled his new underwear up over his small frame. He contemplated what to wear, because the night was still young. 

He went for a snazzy looking pair of pants, and a simple concert rag shirt. He put his filthy blue shoes back on, then he migrated back over toward Steve.

That hot blonde bowl of soup was finished with the mail, and Tony watched him sit down by the table. Tony approached him, and he leaned against his chair.

“I am going to completely drop the sandwich thing, ok? So chill yourself...”

Tony officially threw a towel in the soup. He was getting absolutely nowhere with Steve, and he knew that asking him about it was making it worse.

The blonde looked up at him and he just said one word.

“Good.” 

Wowwwwwwwww... Tony almost brought that shit up again out of spite. He crinkled his nose up instead, and he kept staring down at that temperamental blonde.

“I am just going to let this, thing...resolve itself. Hopefully, in the future, you two will be in a better place..”

Steve heard that and he politely nodded his head several times. He agreed and liked what Tony said. Steve only had two words to say about Tony’s kind gesture.

“Thank you.”

PFFffffffttttt... Tony was friggen pissed. He tensed his entire body up and he nearly choked. He wanted to know all the things, and the brunette was practically frothing at the mouth.

Steve just snapped his attention up at Tony. What he was feeling, and the way he was behaving had nothing to do with him. It had everything to do with Stephen Strange, and Steve just refused to go there in that moment.

He was glad that Tony finally wanted to let it go, but he expected him to change his damn mind in approximately ten seconds. Those two held fiery glares at one another, but eventually one of them looked away.

Tony laughed at Steve’s stupid face, and he thought about something.

“You wanna sneak into a club tonight? Then, I can show you a song that I made when we get back.”

Tony had a mini-date in mind. He started fixing the sleeve of Steve’s shirt, and the soldier-in-training formed a smile. He was intentionally being stubborn, until he heard that.

Steve needed to get out, and get into some trouble with Tony. The two of them were thrown out of a club several weeks ago. Steve felt very rebellious, and he wanted to risk doing something like that again.

“Sure.”

He smiled after he responded, and he started feeling better. Tony also mentioned them getting some soup. Steve was always hungry for food, so he grabbed their coats and agreed.

~~~—-~~~

Stephen bought a small amount of groceries for the meal, and he knocked on his old apartment door. He officially gave the apartment to Victor, but his little brother wasn’t aware of that yet.

Stephen smiled at him when he opened the door. Victor jumped toward him, and he gave Stephen a giant hug. The older brother held him for a bit longer than normal, and then he said that he was there to cook.

“Do you want to help me?”

Stephen asked, but Victor actually didn’t have a choice. He planned to teach Victor how to prepare the meal, since Donna’s comment was still fresh in his mind.

Apparently, Victor needed to work on what he assembled together. His younger brother said that he needed to turn off his game, but he wanted to help.

Stephen walked into the kitchen, and he started organizing the food. Donna was still at work. Stephen thought about how they would be seeing Bucky around more. 

Having Bucky around meant seeing Steve. Steve meant seeing Tony. Stephen contemplated their growing group of people, and he thought about one more.

His mind went somewhere else, as Victor quickly slid into the kitchen. He caught himself against the cupboard, and quietly watched Stephen wash his hands.

Stephen always washed his hands like a surgeon, and he had the food organized in a strategic way.

He looked at his brother as he slowly dried his hands. Stephen was still feeling the Italian sandwich that he had earlier, so he picked a meal that had some interesting flavors.

“I’m going to show you how to make some Tuscan chicken. You’re in charge of the salad.”

Stephen pointed at the fridge, and he expected Victor to go hunting. He knew how Donna ate, so he was confident about what was in the fridge.

He grabbed for the kitchen utensils, as Victor started looking in the fridge.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	54. Baby, I’m Dying (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 54:Baby, I’m Dying (Part 4)

* * *

Bucky went home after he had lunch with Donna. He was a pretty simple guy, so he didn’t have any other plans for the day. He was glad that the conversation with Stephen was quick and painless.

Bucky had been dreading it, but apparently he did something right. It was time to walk her home from work, so Donna asked him about randomly being outside with her brother.

She forgot to ask when they had lunch.

Bucky heard her question, and he just told her not to worry about it. Stephen didn’t want to kill him anymore, so everything was good. Donna almost tripped after Bucky said that to her.

She didn’t think her step through and almost took a nose dive. Say what?! The sister wanted to know WHY Stephen wanted to kill him. Bucky confessed his transgressions, with a small smile on his face.

“I was being a pain in the ass. I set off fire alarms while everyone was sleeping, and acted like it meant nothing.”

He felt kinda bad about Victor, but that was it. Stephen didn’t know his side of the story. If he did, then he might have forgiven him a little earlier.

He did it to get under Tony’s skin. Bucky was convinced that Tony was making Steve get all loud on purpose. He made sure Bucky could hear them, and that shit wasn’t cool.

He set that alarm off to shut Tony down, but Stephen was the one that was more affected. The trauma from Donna’s death was still new for them at the time, so Bucky eventually dropped his bullshit.

“Ah, so you were rude to him. He likes to be the rude one. That makes sense.”

Donna smiled. She resumed her normal walking pace and the two of them stopped outside the apartment. Bucky glanced up at the window, and he smiled at Donna.

She stared at his jacket for a little bit, then she eventually glanced up that way as well. The lights were on, and she returned his smile.

“Did you want to join us?”

She patiently waited for his response. James Buchanan thought about that for a short while. He did intend on asking Donna out to a movie, or something innocent like Steve always liked to do.

He was using his friend as another beacon of good behavior. Bucky always asked himself about how Steve would handle the situation. He decided that Donna needed to hang out more with her brothers.

Stephen just got back, and Bucky didn’t want to invade his space.

....for the moment.

“I’ll pass today. I’ll be around tomorrow, then I might head up.”

He politely declined, but he saw that posture slip a little. Bucky didn’t want to make her upset. Donna Strange was a trooper, however, so she brushed off his rejection. A question emerged, and the young woman started speaking before she gave it too much thought.

“Did you.. uhmaa, I was wondering about the two women at your place. Are they roommates? Or..”

Orrrrrr girlfriends? Friends? Donna needed to know. She felt ridiculous about it after she spoke. She hoped to GAWD that one of her stupid brothers wasn’t around. Donna checked behind her just in case.

“They were people that I met after I first moved back here. They weren’t friends, just people I kept having over.”

Oh. Donna didn’t really understand that. She thought about it for a sec. In her mind, women didn’t just hang out in an apartment that belonged to a guy. It seemed very distasteful. Her parents would flip out.

“You weren’t dating either of them? They just ...stayed at your place?”

Donna wasn’t understanding. The entire concept was very foreign for her Nebraskan mind. She grew up with a small community of people. They had large farmland between all the neighbors, and Donna rarely journeyed into the city.

She wasn’t used to multiple people sharing apartments, or people living so close-knit. Bucky prepared himself, because he decided to answer Donna honestly. It was probably a make-or-break moment between them, but someone always had a peculiar saying..

Honest is the best policy, is what Steve would sometimes say.

“I wasn’t dating them. I was just sleeping with them. They’d come over, and that’s how it would turn out. It was with the woman in the yellow jacket, mostly.”

Bucky wasn’t that into it. He was confused about Steve at the time, and probably just lonely. He couldn’t remember if he even enjoyed it. 

Bucky only remembered a gigantic amount of talking. There was so much talking going on when they were around.

He preferred talking to Donna, because she actually put thought into what she had to say.

Bucky told her the truth of the matter, and waited to see how the outcome would turn out. Donna looked a little troubled by what he said.

“Do they still stay there with you?”

She thought that it was some sort of common thing. Her heart started picking up weight, and the horrified look on her face wasn’t going away. Bucky shook his head no, and he tried to think of any sort of damage control.

The truth was probably a bad choice. Bucky decided that he couldn’t ask her to a movie after that.

“No I haven’t seen them, since..”

Bucky tried to remember how long it had been. He thought it over, but the garage door started opening. Donna and Bucky both looked at the person walking beneath it. 

Stephen was heading back to the Sanctum. He made the dinner with Victor, but the sorcerer couldn’t shake a nagging thought. He wanted to return to his own space, and work something out.

He smiled at Donna... and Bucky. It felt weird to smile at Bucky, but he did it anyway.

“RIGHT. Right. Thank you for telling me. I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

Donna jumped ahead of the gig, and she graciously made her exit. She needed to think, and she didn’t need her older brother snooping into the conversation.

Donna was gone in a heartbeat, and Bucky saw Stephen slowly arch up a brow. The not-so-winter-soldier gave a soft sigh, and a very puzzled look.

“See ya around...James.”

Stephen laughed quietly, then he just walked off. He wasn’t in the mood for Bucky’s noise. The garage door closed automatically, and the siblings walked off in opposite directions.

Bucky pulled his thoughts together on that, and then he started heading home.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	55. Baby, I’m Dying (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 55:Baby, I’m Dying (Part 5)

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Victor Strange was on the phone when Donna entered the apartment. He gave a sudden gasp, and told their father that she just walked in the door.

“DONNAAAAA. Dad wants to talk to you.”

Victor yelled her name because she was spaced out and walking toward her room. Donna abruptly stopped everything, and she slowly turned in Victor’s direction.

Their father was calling? Whoa she slowly walked over toward the phone. She smiled at the unexpected phone call, and she placed the phone to her ear.

Donna said hello to her father, and Victor waited beside her. Eugene Strange was only calling to drop some much needed authority on his three children. The three of them had been gone for a long time, and only one of them occasionally checked in.

Donna was the only one that called the house, but she only called during the afternoon. She knew that her mother would be in the house, and she’d quickly check in with her.

Victor and Stephen never called. Eugene was about to put the smack down on them.

“Donna, holidays are coming up. You three need to get yourselves back here.”

His voice was very stern. He sounded a lot like Stephen, but not as gentle. She knew that her father was referring to ALL the holidays that they celebrated at the end of the month they were in.

Victor and Stephen both had November birthdays. Thanksgiving was after that. Also, the Holiday Harvest was a mandatory event for their family. They always spent an entire week together, no matter what.

Donna couldn’t really argue. She said that she would speak to her boss at work, and see if she could take the week off. Victor had no issue. He didn’t work, and he stopped going to the X-Mansion after Stephen returned home.

“Where’s your brother? I want to speak to him.”

Eugene needed to hear the voice of his eldest son. He struggled the most with Stephen, because the two of them were very stubborn.

“You just missed him. I’ll make sure he joins us, ok?”

Donna heard a silent pause. Eugene asked her if he was still going to school. She knew that Stephen took an extended break, and he just resumed his medical residency. She didn’t wanna say anything that would get Stephen in some sort of trouble.

Donna hated seeing the two of them argue, so she brought up something else.

“Oh he’s doing fine. He might even bring a guest with him.”

POSSIBLY, A WIFE.

Donna inwardly laughed at Stephen’s drama, and decided to take it there. She was curious to see how it went. The line was silent again, and her father spoke up after some time.

“Just make sure the three of you get here before the week is out. I’ve already sent you what you need.”

Eugene didn’t want to get into any specifics, but their mother needed to see them. He gave Donna a cordial goodbye, and then the line went dead.

Donna immediately thought about her work. All of a sudden, she’d have to leave town. Donna thought she was probably going to get fired, but whatever.

It was just a job, and she would just find somewhere else to work. She hung up the phone, and smiled at Victor. She briefly wondered where Stephen went, but the smell of dinner caught her attention.

Donna’s stomach led her into the kitchen.

~~~~——~~~~

Stephen entered the Sanctum Sanctorum. That’s where he was. He headed straight for the meditation room. It was quiet in there, and he was able to tune out most of the noise.

His mind kept slipping back to something, and he thought it was best if he did some serious thinking. Stephen was contemplating what to do about Clea, Tony, and Steve.

Wow, three people? Stephen rolled his eyes at himself. He decided to break up the mental workload, and start with Clea. The newbie-sorcerer thought about telling Clea about Tony.

He knew that he was still attracted to him, and he thought about Tony all the time. The younger sorcerer thought Clea would want to know that.. When that thought repeated itself, his chest felt like it was hit with a brick.

What would be the point of telling her? Tony was with Steve. They were together constantly, and basically inseparable. It was almost as if the little road trip they took together never even happened.

Stephen drove Tony all the way across the country, and he eventually gave into that Tony Stark charisma. Stephen kept thinking about it, so he felt like he needed to be alone.

His brooding over Tony didn’t last that long. Stephen eventually took in a deep breath, and he just closed his eyes. He wasn’t doing a very good job of clearing his head.

Several thoughts about Steve’s behavior also began to nag in his head.

The fairy-tale prince seemed very bothered with him. Stephen wasn’t entirely sure what to do about it. The insecurity comment wasn’t that bad, right?

Steve Rogers was very insecure. Stephen was just politely letting him know that it wasn’t his problem. He brought his hand up to his face, and he rubbed his left eyebrow.

Stephen tried to quiet his thoughts again, and decided to center his focus on only one person. Stephen wanted to hold onto one idea in his head at a time. He wasn’t surprised when the colors in his head started changing.

The colors started with the dark walls in the room. That color slowly faded, and all the colors from the Dark Dimension began taking shape.

It was a different type of dark. Stephen focused only on his dream girl, and he tried to hide his smile when her colors dominated the room. Clea was very bright. Her hair and body stuck out in the dimension.

She pulled focus immediately, and Stephen’s smile got a little bigger. He could see her talking to three creatures. They did not look mortal.

His presence was noticed in the dimension, and Clea turned her head. She looked at Stephen, then turned away from the others entirely.

She looked happy to see him. Stephen felt a little foolish for randomly showing up like that. He couldn’t say anything. He wasn’t used to having something called a wife.

Clea told her three companions that she would speak to them later. She thanked them, but offered no introduction.

They knew exactly who Stephen was, and they were glad that the Sorcerer Supreme was finally present. Clea took Stephen’s entire focus, as she approached him.

“Is something wrong?”

She wasn’t sure why he was there. As far as she knew, there wasn’t a conflict to fix. Clea wasn’t used to having something called a husband, so she softly asked her question.

Stephen brought up a gentle shrug. He tried to play it cool, but it wasn’t working in his favor.

“No, nothing is wrong. I was just checking in. Seeing if you burned the place down, or something.”

His joke fell flat. Clea pulled back slightly, because she took his words literally. She actually looked behind her, and displayed her beautiful realm.

“I’ve burnt nothing down. I’d say that everything around here is goingrelatively well. I think we just need a stronger combative presence.”

She gave him an actual report of all her hard work. Stephen really wasn’t interested in that. He realized that his joke was lost in translation somewhere.

They spoke the exact same language, but Clea wasn’t accustomed to his sarcasm. Stephen made a mental note about that, and he kept looking at her.

Stephen missed everything about her. He thought about her voice, and the feel of her hands. She gave him some sort of charge, and he thought about that all the time as well.

The younger Sorcerer Supreme told himself that he needed to stop thinking. Thinking was very bad.

“Combative?”

He decided to just follow along with the conversation. Clea moved closer to him, but she could tell that his body was not really there. Clea stared at his normal clothing, and tried to visualize where he was.

She followed the trail back to his mind, and her body started appearing in that meditation room.

Stephen shot back into his skin, and immediately sat back. Clea physically formed right in front of him, and joined him on the floor. That sorcerer swallowed everything that he had, and it felt like he was about to roast.

Clea wanted to be near him. She hated it when he wasn’t physically present with her. She didn’t perceive how nervous he was. The young ruler just responded to what he said.

“Yes, combative. The amount of beasts like Nightmare almost outnumber us. Sometimes, beings in the Dark Dimension abuse the humans from your dimension. We can’t catch them all.”

Stephen was listening, but his mind was wandering off toward other thoughts. He lived with Clea for months. He felt very ...

Stephen glanced down at his own hands and tried to process what he felt. It felt like Tony completely forgot about him, and Steve never wanted him to return.

Clea made him feel the opposite. He looked up from his hands, and he realized that she was staring at him.

“Right. You need more help. Got it. That’s where I’m supposed to come in, right?”

Stephen felt like he was needed more in the Dark Dimension, and wanted there. Those thoughts were conflicting, so he kept sinking into a quiet state.

“When you’re ready for that, yes.”

Clea didn’t like to rush. She kept studying Stephen’s behavior. For her, he was fascinating. They both were foreign to one another, and she enjoyed his features over other clans or races.

Clea thought humans were beautiful. She started looking at his skin, while he started looking at hers.

His amulet started moving, and Stephen’s focus was broken. They both looked down at Agamotto’s eye, and it made Clea softly smile.

“Do you think he is still angry with me?”

Clea betrayed Agamotto, but she felt like it needed to be done. Stephen had an answer for that immediately, but he was afraid to answer. He hesitated for only a moment, and glanced away.

“No. He moved on, I can tell.”

Agamotto wanted out of his cage, because Clea was right there in front of them. Clea wasn’t completely convinced, because that entity had a fiery temper. She picked up the amulet, and held it in one of her hands.

It started moving around, and she asked for some clarification.

“How can you be that sure? How do you know?”

Clea wanted to move in closer. She refrained, and looked around the room instead. Stephen had an answer for that question as well, but he hesitated again. It took him a little while to say it, but he admitted what he felt.

“Because, he’s in love with you. That’s how I know.. so, don’t worry about it.”

Stephen’s eyes returned to his hands, while hers returned to him. She was picking up some interesting energy from Stephen. It intrigued her, so she started touching the hands that he was so fixated with.

Stephen took in a few slow breaths, because her hands made his nerves stir.

“Are you feeling the same way?”

Clea smiled after she asked. That newbie-sorcerer clammed up immediately, and he squirmed a little where he sat. The pace of his breathing greatly increased, and Clea finally moved in.

She didn’t wait for his response. Clea just touched his face, and pressed her lips against his. The answer to her question was very obvious, so she didn’t need any confirmation.

Her marriage to Stephen was meant to happen. Clea didn’t have any doubts, or barriers to overcome with that. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	56. Low Blow (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 56:Low Blow (Part 1)

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Tony and Steve had a strategy that they used to sneak into clubs. They both were under the tender age of 21, so most of the clubs in the area wouldn’t let them in.

Tony was 18, and Steve turned 20 at some point. They failed to keep track of their own birthdays, because they were training at the Kamar taj. Time didn’t really exist for them when they were there, so their birthdays happened without them.

Anyway, Tony snuck in first. Then Captain Distraction found his way over to him. The building was packed full of people, but Steve had gotten used to it.

When Tony first snuck him into a filthy nightclub, Steve freaked out. He was not a fan of all the madness, and now he welcomed it.

The two of them walked close, and Tony stopped at the top of the narrow stairs. He looked down into the dark depths of the club. The building had layers to it that kept heading down, and private rooms.

Tony stuck the tip of his tongue out of his mouth when he saw all the people, and he gently started chewing on a few thoughts. Steve looked over Tony’s shoulder.

He glanced down the steep stairs, and wondered what Tony had planned. Steve held onto Tony’s shirt.

He was just taken in broad daylight, so Steve didn’t want Tony out of his sight for any reason. The almost-soldier was still processing what happened to Tony. Steve’s reaction to that was going to be expressed on the field.

Steve planned to get his frustration out when he returned to work. Until then, he followed Tony down the stairs. They found a dark spot to stand in, and they turned toward one another.

Tony thought Steve looked very yummy under all the lights. He told him that, and the soldier boy pretended like he couldn’t hear.

“I said, you look smokin hot.”

“Say what?? Tony, you can’t smoke pot in here.”

Steve was teasing him, because he wanted Tony as close as he could be. Tony’s smile made Steve feel very warm. He rest himself up against his unruly brunette, and all of that crazy music made him sway a little.

Steve was feeling a little bit of a contact high. He was absorbing it from everything that was going on around him. He went from feeling Tony’s body with his hands, to feeling his skin with his lips.

They just hooked up several hours ago, but it was almost as if they couldn’t get enough. Tony had his eyes closed, and he just took in how it felt. That blonde was all over him, and Tony was all for it.

He wanted Steve every second of the day, so he wasn’t surprised at all that they dipped into some heavy kissing. They managed to find a wall, and they just felt each other up against it.

Steve was feeling a million different things at once. People kept brushing up against them, but he ignored it, and kept grinding up on someone that he cared for more than anything.

He thought about how attached he was, but he never wondered if it was a bad thing. Tony felt that gentle tongue against his, but then he slowly started feeling something else.

A different feeling began to pool around under Tony’s skin, and he had to pull back for a second. Hold up.

Steve felt the same thing. He stopped his advance, and he kept looking at Tony’s shirt. They both felt something that was outside the building.

Tony looked to his right, and Steve slowly looked left.

“Is that?..”

Tony couldn’t think straight. He somehow knew that the weird feeling had something to do with Stephen. They both felt his presence, and it was the oddest thing.

“Do you think he’s in some sort of trouble? Or is it Agamotto?”

Stephen emotions had always been suppressed. Tony and Steve barely ever felt his energy like that before. They actually started getting a little concerned. Stephen’s emotions were no longer being manipulated, so they were finally feeling what he had to give.

“I’m not sure, but it’s definitely him.”

Tony thought about just giving him a phone call. He looked up at Steve, and thought about asking him about it. The almost-soldier kept staring in the direction of the energy, and he eventually looked down at Tony.

“We can go outside and call him, then maybe try to get back in.”

They might not make it back to their mini-date, but Steve also felt the need to check in on Stephen. He mentioned the phone call, and he started leading Tony out of the club.

Tony felt relieved, because he didn’t have to ask Steve for a single thing. He maneuvered around all the people, and kept himself close to Steve.

He held onto his warm hand, and wondered what was happening with the newbie-Sorcerer-Supreme.

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Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	57. Low Blow (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 57:Low Blow (Part 2)

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Victor was in the middle of a very important battle. He was playing Final Fantasy, and it was officially his favorite video game. He was dying constantly as he played, and currently frustrated.  


The youngster was scowling at the television screen, while his sister packed for the trip back home.

The phone kept ringing, but Victor wanted Donna to get it. Well, she wanted him to get it... Neither of them were going for the phone, and they kept exchanging irritated sighs and grunts.

“VICTOR GET THE PHONE!!”

“YOU GET IT. I’M BUSY.”

Victor was extremely busy, but the stupid phone rang again. Donna started squawking loudly about how he was closer. She was folding her skirts, and couldn’t be bothered.

Victor screamed out to the heavens and he tossed his controller down. The youngest sibling had a bit of a temper, so he loudly stomped over toward the phone.

Tony was about to woosh his worried ass over there, because something was definitely going on. He kept waiting for someone to pick up, and he was about to leave a voicemail.

“HELLO?”

Victor’s extremely cute but angry voice filled Tony’s ears, and the brunette smiled.

“Hey! I thought you all died or something. What’s going on across the pond?”

Victor’s expression softened slightly. He liked Tony. Victor thought he was cool, and wished that he was around more. Victor thought that his brother and Tony had a thing....

Uhh, he looked over at his video game, and quietly shrugged.

“I’m playing Final Fantasy. That’s about it.”

He didn’t know why Tony was calling. Was he gonna come over? Victor wondered, as Tony got to the point. He asked Victor if Stephen was there, because he needed to talk to him.

“You’re gonna have to get in line, because everybody wants to do that today.”

Victor grinned and he kept doing an impatient hop. He had a ton of energy, but he really needed to get back to the game. Tony wasn’t talking fast enough, so Victor was getting antsy.

“Well, where the heck is he? Off reading some dusty book?”

Some dusty ass, boring book most likely. Tony chuckled at his own thought, and he stepped close to Steve. Their yummy date was interrupted, and Tony was still in the mood for it.

Steve just kept to his chipper silent self. He was enjoying Tony’s touch, and letting him do whatever.

Victor told Tony where Stephen went.

“He’s staying at that old building, on Bleecker Street. I think he plans to live there, even tho it’s super weird and haunted.”

The staircase moved. Victor didn’t think that he would ever forget that. Tony thanked him for the information, and told the punk to have a good night.

“WAIT! Tell Stephen that our father wants us home for Harvest Week. He’ll know what it means, and we’re supposed to go before the week is out.”

It was Sunday, so that meant they had the whole week to figure it out. Uhhh, harvest whut? Tony kinda cringed, but he agreed to give Stephen the message.

Tony ended the call, and he looked up at Steve’s golden face. That blonde looked down at him, and he started acting way too chill again. They were on their way to Stephen, so Steve’s mood started shifting. TONY WAS SO ON TOP OF THAT SHIT.

..........

And he was not in the mood for any of it. He started heading off to Bleecker Street, so he could see what was up with Stephen.

Steve became mute the entire way there. They held hands, and quietly walked together. Tony kept looking up at him, and he’d occasionally arch an eyebrow.

Nope.

Steve wasn’t saying jack shit. Tony gripped his hand a little harder, and then he just friggen formed a portal. The two of them arrived outside the spooky mansion, but realized that it looked different.

It didn’t look like the same condemned haunted... eyesore any longer.

Whoa, Tony even saw some lights on in that building. He hopped up the small set of stairs, and started pounding on the door. Open up, Wizard Supreme.

Tony patiently waited, and he snapped a quick look at Steve. He was trying to determine his current mood, but Tony wasn’t getting a read at all. That boy had his reactive behavior put on ice, and he simply just stood at the foot of the steps.

Tony started loudly pounding on the door again, and he checked to see if it was locked. He knew that Stephen’s rude ass was reading something boring, so he gave a loud sigh.

Stephen Strange was not reading at all. He was very busy in a room that was supposed to me meant for strengthening a person’s mind. He wasn’t doing anything of the sort.

He remained on the floor with Clea. She shed all of the clothing off of Stephen’s skin, and she was currently on his lap. They had been at it for a while. Clea loved how he felt, and she wanted them to live together again. She wanted to feel him all the time, but he was always dimensions away.

Stephen was holding onto her delicate hips, and he kept her in one spot. They both heard all of that noise outside the room, but Stephen refused to stop kissing her lips.

He opened his eyes as Clea kissed him, and he heard the loud knocking again.

...........

What the fuck? Stephen’s burning red face turned away from Clea’s. She gasped out a little, and started gripping Stephen’s shoulders. She asked him what the noise was. He didn’t have a single clue, but it was pissing him off.

The two of them tried to ignore it. They tried to sink back into what they were doing, but the knocking started getting louder. Stephen thought that he heard a door open, and his eyes rushed open again.

The Cloak of Levitation didn’t like all the noise either. It left Stephen’s loft, and the door slammed shut behind it. The cloak started heading for the door, and it made Stephen stop what he was doing.

He was beyond frustrated, because he had to stop and put on his clothes. He just threw some pants on, and told Clea that he would be back. She was a little uncomfortable because of what they were just doing, so she took his shirt and brought it over her skin.

Stephen tried to fix himself, but he looked like a train wreck. He saw that cloak heading down the stairs.

“HEY! What the shit...”

He tried to quickly follow it, and he glared at the front door of the Sanctorum. The knocking was still a thing, and Stephen fixed his pants as best he could. He told that cloak to stop moving, and it did as it was told.

Stephen friggen ripped that door open and he immediately held a mean looking scowl at the person standing outside it.

Stephen stared directly at Tony Stark, and he looked angry. Tony looked very shocked. Tony’s eyes were opened up as far as they could go, and his jaw wouldn’t shut.

Stephen was half naked. His face was red, and he looked all...

Wait. Tony’s stomach hit the street. He thought that he looked all sexed up, and pissed off. Tony was suddenly confused, because Stephen was supposed to be reading.

“Uh, hi.”

Tony awkwardly waved at him, but that angry glare did not budge. Stephen wanted to slam that heavy door in his face, but he just gripped the door handle instead.

He kept glaring those sharp eyes at Tony, and then he shifted his focus over toward Steve.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	58. Low Blow (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 58:Low Blow (Part 3)

* * *

The moment that Steve Rogers was waiting for had finally arrived. He kept his thoughts to a minimum, and he just observed Tony and Stephen.

In his opinion, what happened between them was just lust. Steve was prepared to be proven wrong, so he decided to keep silent. Stephen’s angry expression softened after a moment.

He glanced behind him a few times, but it seemed like he was open for a short discussion.

“Can I help you? ....”

Stephen asked Tony a very simple question. He kept the door halfway open. It also seemed like he wasn’t sure which direction he wanted to go.

Steve witnessed a hesitation in Stephen, and he just waited for the real behavior to show itself. Tony was still in disbelief. He tried to look over Stephen’s shoulder, but he kinda figured out what was going on.

“No, you can’t help me. We were checking on you, because of your weird vibes.”

“....vibes?”

Stephen softly sighed, because Clea was still in the room upstairs. He felt horrible, and a little unsure what to do. He didn’t want to be angry with his trio-mates.

“YES. Steve and I felt your bonkers energy. We thought something happened to you, clearly....we were correct.”

Stephen was hooking up with someone. Tony could tell by his face. He had slept with him a handful of times, so he knew that flustered look.

A pretty little tinker bell princess came to his mind, and Tony just shrugged it off. Stephen’s behavior and hesitation got on Tony’s nerves. He didn’t forget the SHIT that he pulled at his parents house.

Stephen heard that thought from Tony. He stared at him, and tried to filter in some additional thoughts. Tony’s mind was busy, and Stephen forgot that he was staring.

He rushed to speak, so he could cover up what he was doing.

“I think what you felt is a Vishanti thing. I feel it from you two every five minutes. Thanks for that...”

Stephen stepped a little more toward them, and he opened the door a smidge more. He needed to get back to Clea, but he also wanted to resolve the awkwardness between the three of them.

Stephen glanced at Steve. He didn’t get much out of him, and Tony’s rampant mind overpowered him anyway.

“Awww, you’re so welcome! Victor says you are supposed to go home for some sort of harvest fest? Your daddy called.”

Tony was done. He checked in on the Wizard, and temporarily played secretary. It was cold outside, and Tony wanted to return to his mini-date. 

Stephen wasn’t liking the clear disconnect. He kept staring at Tony, and his posture started dropping downward.

“Harvest Week. My family does it every year.”

“Groovy. We’ve gotta go..”

Tony was ready to bounce. He stepped away from the door, and he walked over to Steve. The newbie-sorcerer glanced back into the sanctum once again, and he decided to end the conversation as well.

He couldn’t leave her like that, so he sighed and offered up one final thought.

“You two should join us, for Harvest Week. It’s pretty lame, but ..”

Uhh, Stephen forgot how to sell what his family did every November. He felt ridiculous, but what he said made Tony stop. That brunette looked carefully at Steve, and then he turned back toward Stephen.

“Join you? For some corn fest?”

TONY LAUGHED. He thought that was hilarious. His laughter was infective, and it started making Stephen smile. He shared the same sentiment about the tradition.

The truth was, Stephen wanted to spend time with the two of them. Everything was getting complicated, but he was trying to handle it all by sectioning it out.

“Bucky can go as well. He’s trying to date my sister, so I’m sure she will want him around.”

Ok, he really needed to go. Stephen looked back in the giant building, and Steve slowly stepped up to the plate.

“We can do that Stephen. Just give us details about it when you can.”

That was all Steve Rogers had to say. His words were very conclusive, and he started walking back toward Brooklyn. The newbie-sorcerer watched him walk off, and he smiled at Tony before he followed after Steve.

That interaction made him suck in the deepest breath, and he slowly closed the door. Stephen rubbed his forehead, and he looked over at that red cloak. It was casually floating beside the door, and it was bothering him.

“Get back in your room.”

He wanted it out of his sight. The cloak responded, and it swiftly flew up the stairs. It opened the door to his loft, and slammed it immediately after it disappeared.

Stephen roughly rolled his eyes, and he started walking up the stairs. Clea was standing at the top of them, and she looked discontent.

He finished walking up the steps, and gently touched her face. Stephen pressed his forehead against hers, and he quietly apologized about what happened.

She heard the other voices outside, and she listened to a small amount of what was said. Stephen’s friends were concerned about him. Clea wasn’t angry about anything. The woman was mainly confused.

She said it was fine. Clea brought her hands upward, and she touched both of his wrists. It didn’t take them too long before they picked their behavior back up.

The sanctum actually had bedrooms. Stephen decided to take her into the one that was closest to his loft. She followed his lead, and started asking him questions about Steve and Tony.

Stephen decided to tell her. He wasn’t sure how she would react, but he couldn’t keep it from her any longer.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	59. Low Blow (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 59:Low Blow (Part 4)

* * *

Stephen told himself that he needed to chill. He was very wrapped up in what he was doing with Clea, and he wasn’t behaving like his normal cautious self.

He stopped his actions for a moment, and he rest his face beneath her chin. She moved her legs around his, and encouraged him to keep going. She didn’t want anything to stop.

Clea was getting very comfortable and addicted to being intimate with him. She asked him why he stopped, and her heart started beating very fast. Clea didn’t get an answer, so she brought her hands up to his face.

She made Stephen look at her, and she kissed him for the millionth time. He was hesitant because the absolute last thing that they needed was a child. Stephen returned her kiss, and he was about to explain why they needed to cool it.

Before he answered, he started feeling something else. Stephen glanced toward the wall in the room and he processed the other feeling that washed up.

....those two were out of control.

He got a sense of Tony and Steve’s energy off in the distance. They returned to their mini-date, and Stephen felt exactly where it was going.

That energy seemed to exchange between the three of them in a peculiar way, so Stephen resumed what he was doing with Clea. He actually felt the two of them, and they were noticing the same exact thing.

They snuck into another club. Steve and Tony always had a plan to meet up on the far right side of any building that they entered. Tony always slipped in first, and he secured a spot for them to do whatever.

Steve caught up with his unruly brunette, and they disappeared to a world of their own. They never interacted with anyone, and kept to themselves. Tony found a secluded spot. Some over-the-top light fixture kept them hidden from the sea of people, and Tony was relaxing against the wall. Steve’s larger frame almost concealed him.

That blonde was all over him again, because Steve enjoyed the promiscuous behavior. Tony always brought it out of him, and his current confidence level was through the roof.

The music and movement in the building was very stimulating. Steve could feel it pulse through his bones. The almost-soldier was busy doing one of his favorite things, and he didn’t care at all if they were kicked out. Steve was “necking” with Tony, and noticing Stephen’s energy again.

The newbie-sorcerer’s emotions and energy were no longer suppressed. He wasn’t “bonkers” any longer, so it felt like he was right there with them.

Steve kept thinking about it. His behavior was intense for Tony, but he kept encouraging Steve to continue. He felt Stephen in that moment as well, but he didn’t know that Steve was fixated with it.

The blonde kept thinking about how badly the sandwich thing went with Stephen. They ended up squabbling, when all Steve wanted to do was get to know him. He was very intrigued with Stephen, but he didn’t want Tony to know.

That fiery brunette didn’t have a clue. He stood there in a bliss as his hands wandered all over Steve’s gorgeous body. Tony was down for whatever Steve wanted, and he thought Stephen’s energy made it even better.

Steve had a few other thoughts cross his mind. The comment about his insecurity was still grinding, and the idea of proving Stephen wrong kept returning to him.

Then, the idea of dominating Stephen suddenly appeared. Steve felt spooked for a moment, and he took a half step back. That space forced Tony to stand on his own two feet. All of his weight was on Steve, so it felt like his legs were about to melt through the floor.

Tony slowly moved down the wall. He slid downward, and pulled that blonde back toward him. The same sensations were happening for Steve and Stephen. Their actions were almost lining up, and they didn’t even see it.

Steve rest his forehead on the wall, while Tony exposed his waist. The blonde closed his eyes and choked in a rough gasp. He felt Tony’s boiling hot tongue, and Steve didn’t even look behind them. The front part of his jeans were wide open, but only Tony’s hair could be seen.

Those hips started moving, and he brought one of his hands to Tony’s hair. He locked his head in place, and eased his length in that mouth. Tony exhaled, and he gripped those strong legs. He wanted to please Steve, and keep that mood going.

His behavior was lining up with Clea, but Tony didn’t even know it. None of them really knew what all of the energy exchange was about.

They just embraced all of the sensations that came with it, and kept going.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	60. Low Blow (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 60:Low Blow (Part 5)  
  


* * *

Stephen was in a deep sleep. His mind wandered through the night, and it kept working. He wasn’t sure when he started absently wandering while he slept, but in that moment he was still trying to unravel a mystery.

It led him to looking into the original Tony Stark. He journeyed through the entire timeline and he saw how the second one factored in.

That version of Tony altered so many timelines. He was technically the “Big Tony” now, but Stephen was looking into what he did within the multiverse and beyond.

Stephen stopped his search, and he was perched on the roof of the Kamar taj. He kept looking out and thinking about what he managed to discover.

“Baby” Stephen glanced to his left, and he saw a version of Tony sitting beside him on that roof. Stephen stared at all the scars. He had several on his face, and a large one on his right arm.

“I used to sit here with your older self. He’d be brooding exactly where you’re sitting.”

The older Tony pointed toward Stephen’s waist. The younger sorcerer smiled, and he thought about his mini-mission. He was determined to solve the Mind Stone riddle, so he kept staring at the older Tony.

“Are we in the present? I’ve been rooting around in your past for hours.”

“Oh I know. I’ve been watching you dig around. Hoggoth is linked to the realm of dreams, remember? So I can see it when people sleep.”

Tony was very involved with his growing abilities. It took him a long time to embrace Hoggoth, but now he utilized his talents to disappear.

The older Tony had become chameleon-like. He slipped in and out of realms and dreams to keep himself safe. Baby Stephen kept popping up, so he decided to approach him.

Stephen was aware of Hoggoth’s connection to the positive parts of the Dark Dimension. He wondered if that was connected to the Mind Stone as well, but that lead went cold.

“The Mind Stone found its way to your older self, and then it became infused with his technology. He released it, by something called Ultron. You haven’t created Ultron, right?”

“You know that I haven’t. I didn’t repeat that part in my life.”

He did his own thing. Stephen gave a small nod, and he thought that was the part that caused so many alterations with Tony Stark. The version of Tony that he looked at received the Mind Stone in a completely different way.

It was given to him, but Stephen didn’t understand why.

“You really don’t need to understand why, you know? It’s going to be fine..”

The older Tony could hear his thoughts. OH YEAH. He had those skills. He gave the younger Stephen a smirk, as he figured out what he did.

“Hoggoth is obsessed with preservation, so I’m not afraid. I don’t need to understand why I gathered the Infinity Stones.”

Tony was doing their bidding, and he didn’t want the younger Stephen obsessing over it. He turned a little more in his direction, and he looked at that handsome face.

The younger Stephen was hearing him, but he still needed to know. He was fearful for the younger Tony as well. Stephen was attached, despite the distance that they were going through.

“Then since I have you here, can I get some advice?”

Stephen held a small grin. The older Tony knew that grin very well. Stephen was drawing straws, and encountering some foreign territory. His expression amused the older Tony, so he just gave him a gentle nod.

“How do I balance all of them? I’m navigating some dangerous waters.”

HAH. Big Tony’s smile enlarged and he thought about the older Stephen. That mountain would not move, until he wanted to. 

“I’d say you don’t balance them at all. You’re the time guy, so they’ll adapt to you.”

It was adapt or die when it came to finding any time with Stephen Strange. The older Tony stood up on that roof, and he stretched his arms back. He felt a very familiar sensation along his metal ribs. Stephen looked up at him, and he held the same simple smile.

“Steve is the best at navigating you. He’ll make it easy, you’ll see.”

Tony sucked in an incredibly full and beautiful breath of air. The rooftop of the Kamar taj was one of his favorite places to visit. Tony never forgot it, and he thought about it all the time.

He looked down at the forever mysterious Sorcerer Supreme. A warm and friendly feeling washed over the older Tony, then he looked at the view again.

Stephen’s eyebrow arched upward, and he brought his focus down to his hands.

“Steve?”

Steve Rogers? Stephen couldn’t believe his ears. He didn’t understand that one at all, and he was unable to get any other response. Stephen looked up from his hands, and the older Tony was gone.

A blank space remained, and Stephen started feeling a little different. All of his contemplation and wondering came to a halt, because his body was waking up.

Stephen kept looking in the same place, until his eyes opened up. Stephen woke up in his bed, and he turned over. He looked at Clea, then he glanced down at his pillow.

He was grateful for the dream, and wondered if he really spoke with the older Tony. Stephen was still getting used to his abilities, so he couldn’t help but have a million more questions.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	61. Nebraska (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 61:Nebraska (Part 1)

* * *

“Before the week is out” had arrived. Stephen went back to school for a few days, but then he arranged the trip home.

He informed Tony, Steve, and Bucky on a Tuesday, and they were all ready to go on Friday.

Clea returned to the Dark Dimension. Stephen wanted her to meet his parents, but it didn’t feel like it was the right time.

They didn’t know anything about the Mystic Arts, or the Dark Dimension, so Stephen wasn’t really sure how to explain Clea at that point.

He was contemplating asking someone for some help with that. The person he planned to ask was placing her plane ticket in a fancy purse.

Stephen wanted his sister to help Clea become comfortable with their dimension, but he wasn’t ready for that conversation. He just rolled his suitcase beside his leg, and looked over at Victor.

Victor Strange reminded Stephen of that “kooky” bird lamp that they bought for the apartment. He had his music player in his hand, but he was sitting upside down in his seat.

Victor’s legs were propped up on the head of the chair. Stephen studied him for a moment, and thought about taking some observational notes. Victor was taking up two seats, and sitting at an angle. Stephen could tell he was doing that to avoid getting dizzy.

His focus was pulled from his younger brother, because the three traveling companions had arrived.

Steve, Tony, and Bucky made it through airport security, and all of the greetings were being exchanged. Victor got up off that seat, and he gave everyone a wave.

Baby Tony was double checking what he packed. He made sure that he had plenty of warm clothes for corn town. He packed a toothbrush, toothpaste, some deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, and at least three pairs of shoes.

Tony also recalled his essentials, but those were for Steve. He held a smile on his face, as he looked upon Stephen and his beautiful siblings.

Donna started talking with “James” right away. She started saying something to him about her work. Bucky even set his worn out travel bag beside her fancy suitcase.

Awww.. Tony was slightly moved. The cuteness involved Bucky Wonder tho, so his reaction was minimal just to be stubborn.

Stephen took in Tony’s appearance. The brunette wore a Black Sabbath shirt and some dingy jeans. He looked comfortable, and he stood very close to Steve.

The two of them were almost like conjoined twins. Steve was dressed comfortably as well, and Stephen couldn’t find one wrinkle on those clothes.

Steve asked if they had been waiting long. Stephen focused on the question, and he gave the almost-soldier a small smile.

“No, we just got here ourselves.”

Stephen started thinking about a dream that he had at the beginning of the week. Steve’s name was dropped, and he wondered how it all would play out.

Stephen could technically cheat. He could look, but the newbie-sorcerer decided against it.

“So... how are you?”

Steve’s voice broke his focus. Stephen’s thoughts returned to his body, and he continued looking ahead.

“Me? Oh, I’m good. Distracted.”

Stephen told himself to get with the program, while Steve kept his thoughts as minimal as he could. The almost-soldier just gave Stephen a contemplative look, then he checked the time on their flight. They both got pretty quiet, as Tony’s infective energy kicked in.

“AY Wiz, tell us what this corn town gig is all about.”

He had to know, and Stephen’s grin slowly emerged. Tony’s noise amused him immediately. Wiz? Was that even English? He thought that Tony’s use of words and language needed to be studied. Stephen looked at over him, and he held his smile.

Victor listened to his brother mention that Tony would have to wait. Stephen’s body language was always super weird around Tony. He seemed playful, and different. The baby brother noticed it immediately.

He looked at everyone, and tried to figure everything out. Steve got all weird around Tony, while Tony acted super weird around Steve AND his brother.

Victor’s curious eyes sharpened a little, as he watched everyone chat about “corn town”, airport security, and whatnot.

Donna got all weird around Bucky, and STEPHEN seemed to be weird as soon as everyone arrived. The behavior Victor witnessed was too much. He noticed it get even worse when they boarded the plane.

Everyone wanted to sit in certain places, but none of them wanted to SAY that they wanted to sit in certain places. They all just alluded to it with SUPER WEIRD comments.

They had assigned seats. Victor looked down at his ticket, as the group moved into the plane. Stephen was the one that secured the flight, so the seating was all by his arrangement.

He made sure they all stuck together, but he intentionally put Victor in the middle of Bucky and Donna.

The older brother was very amused with that, while Victor was not. He didn’t want to be in the middle of their lovey dovey garbage. Victor rebelled against his older brother, and stole HIS seat.

He went from seat 32B to 33A. Stephen gave himself the window seat, but now he was stuck in the middle of Bucky and Donna. That behavior was very unexpected, and Stephen was pretty unhappy when he saw where his brat brother was sitting.

Tony and Steve were next to Vic, and the other three .....

Yeah, that was not happening. Stephen refused to sit between them, and he thought about informing security. He kept staring at Victor, and waited for him to GET UP.

The younger brother just kept staring outside the window. He tried not to have any expression on his face whatsoever. Other passengers moved around Stephen as best they could, and his focus on Victor kept getting sharper.

Donna rolled her eyes, and she took her seat by the window. It clearly said 32A on her ticket, so she sat down immediately. She didn’t need to sit beside James. They weren’t dating, or anything of the sort.

She just kissed the guy, and he informed her that he slept with random women. They were on speaking terms, but that was about it. Donna actually preferred to sit by her arrogant brother, but he was too focused on being annoying.

She looked out the window as well, just like Vic.

“VICTOR, MOVE.”

“Uhm.. who are you?”

Victor didn’t know the person talking at all, until a strong hand gripped his right ear. Victor shrieked like a kitty cat, and he stood up immediately. He crawled his way into his designated seat, and everyone maneuvered into their proper place.

Stephen let out an irritated sigh, but then he moved on. Tony kept quiet, but he was sitting beside him. Steve was next to Tony, and he brought his notebook out of his bag.

Bucky didn’t catch the drama. He had a hard time stuffing his travel bag in the overhead compartment. He made it work after some time, then he took his seat in front of Steve.

The trip to “corn town” was slow moving, but Tony was very eager for the trip. He only mentioned it six times. Stephen started counting, and he pointed it out every time.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	62. Nebraska (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 62:Nebraska (Part 2)

* * *

After the five hour plane ride was out of the way, Stephen rented a very nice van. It was comfortable, and everyone had a seat with room to spare. Donna was sitting in the passenger seat, because Victor was still mad at Stephen.

The sister made a comment that there were way too many men in their group. That comment almost made Stephen bring up Clea, but he refrained. The newbie-sorcerer didn’t want to bring her up with a crowd around.

It was encouraging tho, because Stephen hoped to get his sister’s help later on. The newbie-sorcerer checked in on everyone that travelled with him.

Steve was drawing, Tony was listening to something, and doing odd movements with his hands. Stephen noticed that at he was doing that on the plane as well.

He figured that his technology was transparent for everyone else. It was either that, or Tony had been playing air DJ for hours and had lost his mind.

Both scenarios made sense for Tony..

Stephen looked in the rear view mirror. Victor was listening to his music again, while Bucky kept his focus outside the van. Bucky was looking in one direction, while his sister was looking in the opposite.

Apparently, that movie and dinner date was denied. That amused Stephen on so many levels. He smiled at his sister when he could, and she started catching onto his behavior.

Donna did not take the bait. She kept to herself, and quietly turned on the radio. The others were distracted doing whatever, so Stephen wanted to chat.

His mood to discuss Clea was changing, and he started planning how to bring her up.

Steve Rogers suddenly cleared his throat, and he grabbed a pencil sharpener out of his bag. He sharpened away at his pencil set, and then silently continued on with his drawing.

Stephen quickly looked up, and he watched what Steve did in the mirror. The only thoughts he could draw out of Steve had to do with his drawing, or random thoughts about food.

Steve was either hungry all the time, or he was intentionally diverting his thoughts. Hmmmmm.... Stephen pondered that theory. His eyes sharpened for half a second, then he kept watching the road.

“Stephen, where’s your wife?”

Donna’s voice chimed in, and Stephen almost slammed his foot on the brakes. His reaction was pretty panicked. The van wheels squealed and swerved on the road.

He snapped a glare at Donna. Stephen refused to acknowledge what she said, and he turned up the volume on the radio.

Stephen’s attempt to drown out her comment amounted to nothing, because the damage was already done. Everyone in that van looked toward the front of it.

Even Bucky looked, because he didn’t think that Clea was his wife. Stephen was, how old?

“Why isn’t she with us? Don’t husbands bring their wives to family gatherings?”

Donna wouldn’t quit. She even turned the radio back down. The sister actually resumed a battle of words that happened between them a while ago. The cards were finally in Donna’s favor, and she would not be passing up the opportunity.

Say what?...

.....

I’m sorry, what?

Hold up. Tony stopped everything. He killed his tunes, and became very interested in what was going on up front. Steve kept his focus on Donna. Hoo hoo... the almost-soldier put his pencil in his notebook.

Stephen was speechless. He kept his eyes on the road, and he sucked in the deepest breath. Donna’s sudden attack on him was unexpected.

The two of them always had a battle of words, so Stephen kicked himself for being so exposed. He turned off the main highway, and started taking the scenic route to their childhood home. He was not going to respond to Donna.

He told himself not to engage or respond over and over. Don’t engage. Don’t engage. Don’t engage. Keep driving. Donna became very relaxed in her seat, and her grin became very wide.

“Bucky wasn’t paid to babysit you.”

There. Stephen perfectly deflected Donna’s bullshit. Stephen’s grin brightened immediately, while Donna’s mouth fell open.

Bucky stretched his posture upward, and he held a horrified expression. Stephen put his ass on full blast, and Bucky was very shocked by the sudden reveal.

Donna turned her head, and she stared directly at him. Bucky wanted to jump out of the van. It felt like he was just shot in the chest. Bucky turned away from that reeeeaaalllll quick and he focused out the window.

I’M SORRY... WHAT?!

Tony was freaking out. The vibe in the van immediately went to shit. Donna started calling Stephen an asshole for saying that to her, while he snapped back and informed her that his relationship with Clea wasn’t supposed to be paraded at her leisure.

Holy hell, the van ride got super loud. Victor sat up as tall as he could, and told them both to shut up. Steve hid his smile as he looked around. He was taking in the looks on all the faces.

The almost-soldier was very amused with what he saw. He slowly covered half of his bottom lip, and he suppressed the urge to laugh.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	63. Nebraska (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 63:Nebraska (Part 3)

* * *

Tony hopped out of the van from hell, and he brought his bag over his shoulder. He was in an odd mood, and it was all Stephen’s fault. Tony always knew that he was going to end up with his tinker bell princess.

They always seemed very “meant to be” and Tony often got a little jealous.He really didn’t expect to hear the married part. It just blew his mind to the moon as he fixed his bag over his shoulder. Tony felt like what he tried to have with Stephen was cut short.

He remembered how depressed he got while Stephen was gone. Thanks to Bucky’s RUDENESS, Tony was called out, and his emotions about Stephen were put on a chopping block.

He felt odd in that moment, so he just looked out at the view. Stephen’s family lived on a giant farm in Nebraska, and Tony thought what he saw was beautiful.

He only saw their large house off in the distance, and there were no buildings clogging up the sky. Tony was very used to seeing a bunch of big ugly buildings and concrete.

Tony felt a very warm hand touch his. Steve picked up Tony’s hand, and the brunette quickly looked up at him. He suddenly felt terrible, because the Stephen thing was on his mind again.

“That was, interesting? I think?”

“Ay. Yeah. Ha.. right.”

Yikes. Tony stumbled out a response, and he glanced down at their hands. Tony never let go of what he felt, but a shame about that was beginning to creep in. Steve was too good to him, and a whirlpool of stress started building up in his head.

Steve leaned over, and he kissed Tony. He kissed him right above his left eye, and put his free arm around Tony’s shoulder.

They were standing very close, and migrating closer until they heard one of the van doors slam shut. A soft voice addressed Tony and Steve, and they both followed it to the source.

“There is a guest house down the road. I’ll take you guys there soon.”

Stephen Strange was officially home, but he didn’t look like he was in a good mood. His squabble with Donna really escalated, and now the whole trip had a butchered vibe.

Bucky Barnes was part of that vibe. He considered the idea of leaving. Bucky thought about hitchhiking his way back to the airport, or asking Steve to “transport” him out of town.

He never planned on telling Donna that he wasn’t paid to see her at work. Bucky didn’t even realize that Stephen knew about it.

The not-so-winter-soldier was in a bit of a daze, and it still felt like he was shot in the chest. He had a hard time processing what he was doing, so he absently started unloading Victor’s shoulder bag.

“Uhh, I can get that. Thanks tho.”

Victor tried to carry his own stuff. Bucky looked up at him, and he held a bewildered expression. OH. He snapped out of his mini-coma, and grabbed his own bag instead.

Donna was the first person out of the van. She hurried off to the house, and greeted their parents.

Donna was in the middle of a giant hug. Eugene and Beverly Strange were embracing her, and asking her if she liked New York.

Oh, she just looooovvvveeedddd it. The young woman pondered what she actually liked and didn’t like, as Victor quickly joined in on the hug. He was embraced by their mother, and a familiar gesture was done to his hair.

Eugene did the exact same thing as Stephen. He either messed up Victor’s hair, or he fixed it every time he saw him. It was something that Stephen picked up from his father.

The newbie-sorcerer left the others, and he walked up to the house. He did not bring his suitcase with him, because he intended to stay in the guest house.

He felt nervous, because he had memories of that house that weren’t reconstructed. Stephen remembered his father telling him that he would break his head open on their front porch.

His father also told him that he was evil, because he saw him drown his own sister. Those memories were all corrected, but it still felt new in Stephen’s mind.

His father was the only person that intimidated him. Eugene Strange didn’t even need to try. His presence alone did the trick.

Steve, Tony, and Bucky wandered along after the siblings. They watched Stephen walk up to his parents. Steve took the most interest in that moment. He could see the adoration and love that they had for their oldest son.

Stephen was clearly their pride and joy. He was brought into their embrace, and Steve got a little emotional about it. The blonde was a sucker for stuff like that.

He needed to hug Tony again. But that time he received a playful laugh. Tony started tugging on Steve’s shirt, and quietly told him that he was a big mushy baby.

They were being all adorable and cute, and Bucky seriously wanted to puke. The other unruly brunette felt like he was drowning in all the love, so he started glancing down that long dusty driveway.

Bucky calculated how long the drive was after they turned off the main road. He estimated that it would take him almost an hour to get to a road that had a decent flow of traffic.

He was ready to bounce until he heard Donna saying something about liking her work more than school. Bucky slowly glanced in her direction, but then he turned back toward his escape plan.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	64. Nebraska (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 64:Nebraska (Part 4)

* * *

“These are my friends. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Bucky Barnes. Feel free to put them to work..”

Stephen introduced the non-family members of the group. Two of them were very surprised to be graced with the label of “friend”.

Bucky actually scratched the side of his head. Friend? Seriously? He started thinking that Stephen put on some sort of angelic persona for his parents.

He was NOT a friendly person. Bucky was not going to be fooled for one second. The not-so-winter soldier was always on guard with that one.

Eugene Strange looked at the three men. They all looked strong, so he was happy to put them to work. Tony’s last name made him focus on them for a while longer.

“Stark?”

Tony gulped, and his eyes stretched up to Eugene’s face. Look at that posture. It was perfect, just like Stephen’s. They were very similar, and Tony just gave him an awkward smile.

“Yup. I’m a Stark.”

Eugene softly smiled at Tony, then he looked at the other two. He remembered that Bucky was the person that drove his daughter to the airport.

Eugene made sure that he knew exactly who Bucky was, because Donna was very precious to him.The father looked carefully at Steve.

He thought that Steve looked very familiar, but Eugene didn’t understand why. He quickly pointed over at a giant tractor that was off in the distance. Tony was puzzled by the “Stark” thing. He started recalling something about his father being around.

... Bucky mentioned something about it, but Tony couldn’t remember the details. Before he could ask, he looked where the father pointed. He saw the tractor, as Eugene’s focus turned to Stephen.

“Take your friends on the old Witton. Your uncle is waiting.”

The tractor he pointed to was a Witton Harvester. It looked like a beast. Donna and Victor followed their mother to the house, and Stephen started heading toward the tractor.

“Go on now. You three can work with Stephen till it’s time to eat.”

Bye. Eugene didn’t expect any argument. He turned away from Bucky, Tony, and Steve and headed toward the house.

Wait what? They had to pick corn?? Tony kinda gasped, and he looked at his companions. Steve was watching Stephen. He watched as the newbie-sorcerer climbed up onto the massive machine, and it fired right up.

Tony seriously started laughing. It was hilarious for him to see Stephen driving a tractor. It just....  
  


....

Tony got all silent. Stephen drove the Witton over toward his “friends” and he smiled at the three of them. He planned to round them up. What he was driving had two parts. Stephen was sitting in the truck part of the tractor.

He had room for one person beside him, and there was plenty of room for everyone else on the “pull”.

“You two can hang onto the back. Just don’t get your legs stuck in the feeder.”

That would suck. He spoke specifically to Steve and Bucky about the pull. Stephen wanted Tony to ride shotgun with him in the truck.

Bucky had a bit of a chuckle in his mood as he grabbed onto the pull. He hopped on it, and secured a location for his feet. Steve joined in.

That blonde looked very excited. Steve Rogers lived for stuff like that. Tony noticed his cute face as he jumped up on the machine. That left Tony on the ground by himself. He glanced at Stephen, and simply waited.

“You can ride up here with me, if you want.”

I dare ya. Stephen treated what he said as a challenge. He had a grin, and Tony got the hint. The brunette’s posture altered, and he accepted the challenge.

“Ok, farm boy.”

Tony stepped up and he playfully smiled at Stephen. He heard that laugh, and he watched the newbie-sorcerer maneuver the tractor controls. Tony settled in beside him, and that beast took off.

The farm boy comment made Stephen laugh quietly. His flirty behavior wasn’t hesitant. Tony was glad for that, because hesitation got on his last damn nerve.

The brunette turned around, and he looked at the besties. Steve and Bucky were holding on, and chatting about the corn feeder of doom.

Steve looked so friggen cute. He was explaining how he thought it worked, and Tony wanted to jump his skin. UNffff... gimme that yummy blonde.

“Scuse me..”

Stephen needed to adjust the speed on the truck. He reached by Tony’s leg, and switched the gear. That farm boy gave him another look, and Tony almost shoved him. Excuse me? Scuse me?

“There’s no excuse for you.”

Tony gave him his sarcastic remark, and he looked out at all the beautiful farm land. He thought it felt good to see Stephen in a good mood. Tony heard him quietly laugh at his comment, as they carried on toward the build site.

The Strange family had a full-blown “harvest” extravaganza every November. Stephen was going to explain that to his companions eventually, but in that moment he was traveling down memory lane.

Stephen had been driving that tractor since he was a little kid. The feel of the wheel, and the sounds of it took him back in time.

“What is your uncle’s name?”

“Walter.”

Good name. Tony started thinking that Stephen’s entire family had very strong names. They were a bit old fashioned, but good. He kept looking out at that beautiful view, until he felt Stephen’s arm brush his leg again.

Tony looked over at him, and he tried to ignore all the feels. He still had the hots for Stephen Strange, even tho he was a friggen asshole, and randomly married.

Tony thought about that as he watched his hands. He couldn’t help it. The brunette thought that Stephen was handsome, and all the feels were returning.

“Can we talk? Later? ... Soon? Whenever?”

Now was not a good time. Tony didn’t want to talk to him in that moment. Stephen started slowing down the Witton, because they were approaching the property line.

He downshifted again, and he glanced at Tony. That sorcerer gave him a quiet nod, and then he checked the pull behind them.

He didn’t lose his cargo, so Stephen declared the trip a success. He noticed that Tony was chewing on his bottom lip. Stephen thought about checking in on his thoughts, but he refrained.

He saw his uncle up ahead, and a few others. Tony noticed someone wearing familiar red suspenders. His father was out there with the others, and Tony’s smile grew wide.

The Stark thing made more sense. Stephen wondered why his father mentioned it. He was unaware that Howard and his father interacted.

Small world.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	65. Nebraska (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 65:Nebraska (Part 5)

* * *

While all the hard labor occurred outside the house, Victor helped his father re-arrange the dinner table. They needed to extend it, and gather all the extra chairs that they could find.

While they were working, his father asked him what he was doing out in New York. Victor couldn’t tell his father that he was spacing out over video games, and spending money.

Victor was chillin, and that sort of behavior was unacceptable to Eugene Strange. He knew that he would be in big trouble if he was honest about his activities. Victor decided to tell his father that he kept commuting north for school.  


He thought about continuing what he was learning at the X-Mansion, but everything changed when Stephen returned.

Victor wanted to stay close to his big bro, and possibly learn more from him. He looked up to Stephen, so he mentioned that he planned to stay in New York.

“That is fine, if you are studying and not interrupting what your siblings are doing.”

Eugene was very adamant about Stephen finishing school. He didn’t want Victor or Donna distracting him. He mentioned that they all needed to “do their own thing” and Victor had to comment.

“We do our own stuff. Donna works all the time, and Stephen lives somewhere else. He gets distracted on his own.”

Victor had to clear that up. He didn’t want anyone thinking that he was some sort of distraction. No way. If anyone distracted Stephen, it was DONNA.

Her lovey-dovey Bucky drama was always a distraction. Playing Final Fantasy was drama free. Victor believed that, and his father just quietly smiled. He didn’t ponder the details. Eugene just unfolded a large table cloth, and he asked Victor to help set the table.

The youngest Strange hopped toward the kitchen. He entered through the left side, and he looked at three women.

His mother and Donna were by the oven, and they were speaking to a lady that he had never seen before. The woman was dressed nicely, and Victor gave her a polite smile.

“Momma, how many plates do we need?”

Victor didn’t know, and he politely waited to ask. His mother said that he needed ten, and Victor got to work. He wasn’t eavesdropping as he gathered the plates and utensils, but he eventually noticed that they were talking about Tony Stark.

It didn’t take Victor long to realize that the woman in the kitchen was Tony’s mother. He gathered everything he needed in one trip, and he tried not to drop anything as he journeyed back to the table.

The current vibe in Nebraska was very “domesticated”. Donna thought of that as she continued to wash all the vegetables for a giant salad.

Her young mind wandered off as her mother spoke. Donna heard her conversation with Maria Stark, but she wasn’t really listening. Donna retrieved a bowl, and she started shredding carrots.

She was still pissed off at Stephen, and in disbelief about what he said in the van. Her arrogant brother told her that “Bucky” wasn’t actually paid to walk her home from work.

The young woman was torn about what she heard, and it was bothering her....

The other women in the kitchen started picking up on Donna’s distracted behavior. She just kept cleaning and shredding carrots. Donna didn’t even notice that they ended their conversation.

Maria and Beverly were only watching her, and waiting for Donna to realize that. She kept wondering why James had to lie. He was either paid to inform her, and walk her home, or he was lying.

Why? If he was lying, then why did he reject her every time she asked him .....

His behavior didn’t make any sense. Why did random women get a yes? Donna figured it had something to do with Stephen. That notion irritated her more than anything.

She had a giant pile of shredded carrots in a bowl, while her mother continued to watch the expressions on her face.

“Are you feeling alright Donna? Your face looks very flushed.”

Beverly Strange had to step toward her daughter. She brought a soft hand toward her cheek, and felt the warmth that Donna wanted to hide. Her skin was a little pink, and it concerned the mother immediately.

Beverly looked at Maria Stark while Donna snapped out of her carrot mess. She turned her head and gave a short laugh.

“I’m fine, just maybe tired from the trip? I feel fine.”

She couldn’t say what was going on. She tried to clear all her thoughts about “Bucky” out of her head, and she moved on to the tomatoes.

A burning hot face could mean many things. It could mean that Donna had a fever, she was stressed, or it could tell the women in the room that Donna was angry.

For women, a flushed face like that could also indicate that she was pregnant. That’s where her mother’s mind immediately went, and the concern was shared with Maria. They both started helping with the salad, and they started asking her about New York.

The conversation centered on Donna, because they wanted to know who she had been spending time with. The ladies were circling in for those details.

Donna didn’t realize what they were doing, but she was naturally careful when she spoke. So the details they were looking for were going to be more of a challenge to get than they thought.

But, that was fine, because Maria and Beverly were up for the communication challenge. In a way, they were on a hunt.  
  


* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	66. Nebraska (Part 6)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 66:Nebraska (Part 6)

* * *

Walter Strange was shocked to see how strong their workforce was. He kept looking at the tall blonde one that was named Steve, and he was amazed to see how much that person could lift.

He looked familiar to the farmer, but he couldn’t place where he had seen Steve before.

They built a structure every year out in the field. It gave the community a corn maze to run through, and an opportunity to play games and spend time with their loved ones.

Stephen called it lame when he described it to them, but they all knew he was lying. Stephen was very engaged with the process of putting “Harvest Week” together, and Tony watched him plan stuff out with his uncle every now and then.

Tony and his father worked out the mechanics for the small amusement rides that were meant for little corn kids. Tony absolutely loved the mini bumper cars and carnival stuff. He was in heaven, but he had to keep looking over at Steve or Stephen.

Tony was checking them both out when he could, because it was different seeing the two of them on some dusty farm. Howard heard Tony laugh out at his own thought, and he arched an eyebrow as high as he could.

Bucky was painting the fun house. Most of the physical labor was finished quickly. Bucky and Steve handled it, and they left everyone else to ponder their strength.

The not-so-winter soldier didn’t answer any questions about it, and he only said that he would paint the fun house. He was looking at a creature that was illustrated by the door.

Bucky took a moment to choose his colors, but then he kept looking toward his exit. Stephen labeling him a friend smoothed over the thought of leaving a little. But in that moment, Bucky was still at a loss about being put on the spot.

He didn’t want to face Donna, or his lies, so his initial response was to leave. Bucky had been in that situation before. He reminded himself of it when he looked over at Steve.

The almost-soldier-boy was taking a break. He parked himself close to Stephen, and looked out at the beautiful property.

“Why are you living in New York, when you could be out here in this peaceful place?”

Steve needed to know, as he drank down a ton of water. Stephen stopped reading the assembly instructions for the Mini Ferris Wheel, and he looked at Steve Rogers.

Two sets of blue eyes met, and Stephen thought about his response.

“Because Nebraska is not big enough for me and my father.”

They were on good terms in that moment, but Stephen knew that it could turn on a dime. His father was very strict, and he probably already knew that Stephen had spent a ton of time out of school.

Donna’s death was the original reason for his absence, but after that was corrected, his father probably had no idea why he wasn’t in school.

The school most likely contacted him, so Stephen expected a lecture at some point. Steve drank down some more water, and he just stared at Stephen.

The newbie-sorcerer formed a small smile, then he looked back down at the plans for the Ferris Wheel. His father rented them every year. As he read the plans, he decided to slip into that blonde head, and hear what Steve was thinking.

Steve put his water jug down, and he took in more of that beautiful view.

“Do you constantly obsess over food, or are you just controlling what I am listening to?”

Stephen quietly asked Steve a question, because the thought of food was the only thing on Steve’s mind. Stephen refused to believe that it was the only thing Steve had in his head, so he finally decided to ask him.

The almost-soldier shifted where he sat, and he looked up at Stephen again. A gentle smile formed on his face, and he quietly responded to his “friend”.

“Controlling what you listen to was one of the first things that my older self taught me.”

Steve had been doing that since day one at the Kamar Taj. His older self taught him the important stuff right away, but Steve Rogers rarely shared what he was capable of.

Tony didn’t even know. Steve didn’t use telepathy that often, and he didn’t feel like telling anyone. Stephen’s smile got much wider, and he returned to the chart of plans. How very sneaky of Steve. Stephen never expected him to have that ability the entire time.

“You’re not as virtuous as the papers once claimed.”

Captain America was supposed to be this beacon of honesty, and integrity. Like “Honest Abe”, or George Washington, Steve Rogers was supposed to be an individual that never told a lie. Stephen quietly laughed at the ridiculous symbolism, while Steve pulled up a small shrug.

“That person was killed, remember? I was just plucked up, and sent in to take his place.”

Taking his place was still a journey for Steve. He didn’t really know what it all meant. Stephen never understood that, or put it together until that moment.

He looked at the blonde again, then handed him the plans for the small wheel. The two of them already had the pieces of it ready to go. They dropped the conversation, and got to work on the final festival piece.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	67. Nebraska (Part 7)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 67:Nebraska (Part 7)

* * *

  
After the work day was complete, Stephen took Howard, his uncle, and a few others up toward the house with the Witton. He returned with the van, and told his companions that they could unpack in the guest house.

It was just outside the harvest festivities. Stephen mentioned that they let workers live there off and on if they needed a place to stay.

It was a cute little farm house with three rooms. Bucky walked in that house... and he immediately turned around.

“Wait, we’re all staying in here? Staying here, with those two?”

No way. He could not be housed that close to Tony and Steve. Bucky stared at Stephen, and he refused to let anyone else into the house. Bucky needed an answer before he took another step.

“Yup.”

That was Stephen’s response. The newbie-sorcerer walked around Bucky, and he picked out a room. Stephen chose the room in the middle, because he heard the thoughts that Bucky had going on in his head.

His concern was legitimate, so Stephen didn’t say anything else about it. Steve and Tony were constantly all over each other, and it aggravated Stephen all the time.

“We can control ourselves, Bucky..”

Steve had to mention that, and he placed their things in the farthest room on the left. He always carried Tony’s stuff, and Tony didn’t mind that one bit.

His grin was enormous, and he kept his focus locked on Bucky Wonder. Aww, what’s wrong Buck?

“I’m not controlling shit. You can go sleep in the corn field.”

HAH. Tony was so friggen happy in that moment. His grin got even bigger, until Steve arrived with a stern looking face. He didn’t want anyone feuding, because he liked it in Nebraska, and he wanted to relax.

Steve didn’t have any plans in mind with Tony, and he intended to make that crystal clear. Steve made an internal vow to not be seduced by that unruly brunette in any way.

He mentioned that he wanted to change his clothes for dinner. Tony asked him if he planned to iron his clothes as he followed after Steve.

Their door shut, and Stephen emerged from his room. He rolled his eyes at Tony’s noise, and he noticed that Bucky was still holding onto his bag.

The not-so-winter soldier wasn’t sure which direction he was headed. He still felt like leaving. Stephen heard that thought, and he walked further into the small living room.

“Using you for deflection was necessary. Don’t you get how we operate yet?”

Stephen decided to explain his behavior. He actually didn’t want Bucky to leave. The newbie-sorcerer understood why he wanted to take off, but he also thought that Bucky was missing the big picture.

He needed to deflect the conversation onto Donna. She brought up Clea, so bringing up Bucky was fair play. It wasn’t personal, Stephen just needed to win the competition with his sister.

He waited for Bucky to make up his mind, but he still seemed on the fence about being there.

“I’ll be sleeping in the van.”

It was too close for comfort for him. Bucky knew that he’d either kill Tony in his sleep, or take off if he stayed in that small house. Bucky really didn’t want to do any of that, so he chose the next best thing.

“Suit yourself.”

Stephen fished the van keys out of his front pocket, and he tossed them toward Bucky. The other unruly brunette caught them and he briefly went into the last bedroom. He stole the pillow and one of the blankets, and put them in the van.

Steve and Tony eventually joined the others, and the four of them headed for the house. They decided to walk and catch as much of that beautiful view as they could. Steve was thrilled to see all the beautiful sunset colors.

That blonde lit up like it was Christmas. He kept looking around and mentioning what he wanted to sketch.

Stephen kept quiet the entire way. He let them all talk and squabble about Bucky sleeping in the van. Steve didn’t like him doing that, and Bucky mentioned that he didn’t care.

Steve insisted that Tony wasn’t getting any, and the amusing conversation started getting tense. Stephen was very entertained with all the stupidity, and he smiled the entire way.

The four of them settled down when they reached the family porch. Stephen looked up at the house where he grew up, and he saw his mother by the door.

She had a kind smile, but the look on her face was a little different. Stephen noticed it immediately, and he gave his mother a gentle hug.

She was happy to hold her son. She didn’t want to let go for a while, until some of the others stepped up onto the porch.

Maria Stark explained who was who, so Beverly became focused on connecting names with faces. Stephen picked up on her thoughts as their embrace ended.

His mother concluded that the short “brown-haired one” was Tony, and he was in a relationship with the blonde.

What the?... 

Stephen couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He glanced at his mother again, then he looked back at his friends. She was studying them for some reason, and it made Stephen curious.

She determined that the taller “brown-haired one” was Bucky. His mother stopped her thoughts with him, and invited them all in.

Stephen slowly scratched his left shoulder, and followed his mother into the house. He had a feeling that the friendly-family dinner was going to turn chaotic real quick.

Stephen almost laughed. Shit was probably going to hit the fan in that house, and he had a feeling it was all Donna’s fault. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	68. Nebraska (Part 8)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 68:Nebraska (Part 8)

* * *

Bucky debated smoking a cigarette. He didn’t follow after the others, and took his time on the porch. Bucky still had an internal debate going on. He wanted to ask Donna a question before he sat down at that dinner table.

He wasn’t sure how to accomplish that, so he dropped the cigarette idea and wandered into the house.

Bucky looked to his left. He didn’t know the layout of the house at all, but he saw jackets on the coat rack when he walked in, and a set of stairs to his right.

To his left, he saw what looked like a reading room. Bucky walked forward through the entrance and heard all of the talking up ahead. Dead ahead and to the right was obviously the family dining room. 

Bucky quickly concentrated on the voices, and he tried to pick up where Donna was.

He heard a few things being moved around toward his left, so he decided to head in that direction. Bucky walked toward the kitchen, and he stepped through the open door.

Jackpot. Donna was gathering up the rest of the food, and getting ready to take it to the table. She noticed Bucky right away, and tried not to freak out. He smiled at her, and picked up half of the work.

“Do you want me to leave?”

Bucky had to ask. He didn’t want anything to be awkward or stressful for Donna. She looked toward the dining room, and luckily the other kitchen door was closed.

She turned her focus back to Bucky, and a nervous feeling started forming all around her chest. She closed her eyes for half a second, and playfully rolled them as fast as she could.

“What do you think?...”

That was up to him. Donna was not going to tell him what to do. In her opinion, the answer was obvious. Bucky formed a small smile and he caught a look at that skirt. It was short, dark green, and it had gold buttons on the side.

She saw where he started looking, and she slowly moved one of her legs. She had tights on, but the way he looked made her almost say something to him. She wanted to know why she wasn’t asked to his apartment.... why did random girls get to stay over?

She had to leave the kitchen. She whipped around and opened the door. Donna drove him crazy with those skirts. He rubbed one of his eyebrows as she took the food out to the table, and he slowly followed along. Bucky didn’t even think about it.

He just emerged and set the stuff down on the table. There you go. He looked for a seat, and of course his eyes locked onto Steve right away.

He felt safe sitting beside Steve, and the blonde managed to save a seat for him. Tony was on the other side, of course, and he was asking if they all were some sort of “Corn Royalty”.

That comment made Eugene laugh pretty loudly. He looked just like Stephen when he laughed. The father responded and said that he’d never heard such a crazy comment before in his life.

Corn Royalty made sense to Tony. He was actually serious about what he asked, and that amused Eugene even more.

Two sets of eyes watched Bucky as he took his seat. Maria Stark and Beverly Strange both watched that young man walk out of the kitchen with Donna.

They saw the expressions on both of their faces. No one else seemed to pay it any mind, but the women in the house were locked on it.

They occasionally glanced at one another, while all the men had their chat.

Donna and Stephen both tried to occupy the same seat. They both wanted to sit by Victor, because he was considered a safe space.

He didn’t ask any questions, or peer into anyone’s soul. Stephen and Donna both had something to hide, so the claws were still coming out between them.

It was very amusing. Steve Rogers thought of that, as he watched them interact. Victor just looked up at his older siblings. His face got all squished up, and he stuck his tongue out at them.

Donna didn’t want to sit anywhere near her parents. She wanted to sit right in between Victor and Howard Stark. That was the perfect seat for her to hide.

Well, Stephen held the same thought, so he went for that seat as well. The two of them awkwardly explained why they wanted the seat.

“I really miss Victor.”

“Wow, same here..”

Victor looked at the empty chair that was to his left. That seat was still open because it was too close to their father. It was way way way too close.

Eugene Strange was already focused and speaking with Tony’s father, but he started to notice Donna and Stephen’s growing squabble.

“Donna, that’s enough noise. Take the other seat.”

He ended that, and she clenched her fists. She wanted to smack Stephen so hardddddddddd. When she left the kitchen, she put her hand on the seat FIRST. That automatically made it hers.

She kept her mouth shut, unfortunately, and just walked over to the empty seat by her father. Donna quietly sat down, and she slowly looked up at the person that was sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Bucky was directly across from her, and the young woman started burning up. She fixed her napkin and utensils at least ten times.

Stephen triumphantly sat in his seat. He obnoxiously pulled his chair up to the table and adjusted it a thousand times. Donna wanted to throw her plate at his face if he moved again.

Food was being served, and people started eating. Donna kept staring down at her plate of food. She could not bring her eyes upward, because the person that walked her home was ...right there.

“So... how do you all know one another? The six of you?”

A very gentle voice cut through all the noise pollution. Donna was hearing dishes being passed around, a few “thank-you’s” being said, and all that jazz. Her mother’s gentle voice broke up those sounds, and everyone focused on Stephen’s “friends”.

Uhh.. where to begin? Tony cleared his throat, and he gave the question some thought. Steve came up with an answer first, and it was exactly where Beverly Strange wanted the subject to go.

“Well, Bucky and I have known each other since grade school. We met Tony and Stephen in upper New York. Upstate.”

That’s where the X-Mansion was. Steve smiled after he gave his response, and he did a quick visual check with the rest of the group.

“The three of us live in Brooklyn, and we met Donna and Victor in Manhattan.”

That was the story of the six. Steve thought of that, as he kept his response going. Beverly smiled at him, and for some reason, she kept glancing over at Bucky. Steve started noticing, and he carefully looked over at his friend.

Bucky didn’t meet Donna in Manhattan, but he decided to eat his food instead of answering. Bucky also decided to let the others do all the talking.

“You’ll have to forgive me, but I’ve never been to New York. Is Manhattan close to Brooklyn?”

Beverly maintained her sincere behavior. She wanted to know exactly how much distance there was between Bucky and her only daughter.

Stephen coughed up a laugh as he listened to his mother’s thought. He tried to cover it up, by saying that he put too much pepper on his corn. Oh oh oh, Donna was so busted. Stephen was living for it, and grinning over the wonderful thoughts in her mind. Stephen also knew that he had to play it safe.

If Donna became cornered about Bucky, then she would return the deflection, and say something about Clea. That absolutely could NOT happen, so Stephen tried to take over the chat.

“It’s far. Way far. We hardly see them. I barely even know them.”

Moving on. Stephen smiled at his mother, but she did not share the sentiment. She gave her son a quiet look, and waited for a different response.

“It takes longer if you drive. I run toward Manhattan every morning. I’d say it’s around, six miles? Give or take?”

Shut up Steve. The newbie-sorcerer was not amused with his boy scout shit. The blonde even had a cheeky do-gooder smile going on as he spoke.

Stephen stared at him, until Steve started staring right back.

“Only six? That’s not too far.”

Her curiosity dominated the chat, and Beverly would not be deterred from her mission. Donna was barely picking at her food, extremely flustered, and silent. Those things never happened with the daughter that she proudly raised.

Something was definitely up, and the mother was patiently waiting for a sign of confirmation. Beverly stopped asking questions, and she quietly started eating her meal.

Donna gave a slow exhale at the table, and she started eating some of her food. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	69. Nebraska (Part 9)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 69:Nebraska (Part 9)

* * *

The dinner wrapped up, and Stephen felt like he dodged a bullet somehow. His mother stopped thinking about Donna and Bucky, so the threat about Clea being revealed no longer worried him.

He helped his mother clean up. Donna was the one that helped cook, so they took turns.

Some blonde offered to help, and Stephen looked over in Steve’s direction. The fairy-tale prince was there to help with the dishes.

Stephen became amused with that, and he left that decision with his mother. She put Steve to work, and asked him to put the clean dishes up in the cupboard.

“I think you are the exact same height as Stephen.”

She looked at her son’s height, and then she glanced back over at Steve. Beverly was correct. Steve Rogers, and Stephen Strange both stood 6 feet tall, with 2 inches to spare.

Tony was going to tell her how correct she was when she walked in. The brunette decided to rest against the door frame, and watched them instead. 

He felt pretty short around those two, but Tony never thought that much about it. “Baby” Tony stood around 5 foot, 8 inches tall on a good day. His frame was smaller as well, but who was keeping track?

He kept watching those two clean up, and then he glanced back toward the dining room. His father was still talking to Eugene. Apparently the two of them had some agricultural engineering in mind for the Stark Expo.

Hearing that made Tony smile. His father nerding out with someone was a sight that Tony enjoyed witnessing. He turned back to those fraternal looking twins in the kitchen, and he had to swallow down his thoughts. 

Tony decided to head outside where it was cool. He took a seat on the giant porch, and he watched someone breathe out a puff of smoke.

Bucky was out all on his lonesome, and he was smoking a cigarette. Tony forgot that he smoked those, and he stretched his back a bit.

Bucky looked at Tony, and then he brought his focus up toward the house.

Oh gosh, he was all alone with Steve’s lover, for once. It was a rare occasion, so Bucky simply held a small grin. He drew in another breath of smoke, and he saw Tony stretch out his hand.

He wanted to smoke one as well, and he assumed that Bucky had more where that came from. Tony used to smoke regularly. He used to do a lot of stupid things before some beautiful blonde randomly showed up.

Bucky handed Tony a cigarette, and his lighter. The smaller brunette accepted it with a smile, and he helped himself to the nicotine stick. The smell of cigarettes always reminded him of his father.

Tony didn’t think his father smoked anymore, but what did he know? They just randomly crossed paths somewhere in Nebraska.

It was every Stark for themself. That’s how it always was.. He pondered his own thought for a moment, and gave Bucky back his lighter. Tony decided to ask him a question.

“Are you really sleeping in the van? Steve said that I wasn’t getting any.”

Ha ha... Tony would have to challenge him on that, of course. He had his ways of persuading Steve, but he decided to let that blonde think what he wanted. 

Bucky was definitely sleeping in the van. He exhaled the toxic smoke, and gently laughed at that ridiculous question.

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out. If not Steve, hey... you’ve always got Stephen, right?”

Wow. Tony quickly flicked the burning cigarette in Bucky’s direction. Tony gave him one of his “fuck you, dude” looks, and then he stood up.

Tony didn’t like being judged, even if it was true. He just tried to have a friggen cigarette with the guy, but now he wanted him to choke. 

Bucky dodged the smoldering cigarette, and he crushed it with his brown shoe. He held onto his sarcastic smirk, and continued to stare at Tony.

Aww, what’s wrong Stark? 

Bucky was about to provoke him again, but the screen door to the house opened. The dishes were all washed and put away. Stephen told his family that he’d see them in the morning, and he followed Steve out the door.

They both saw Tony and Bucky, and it felt like they walked in on some sort of argument. The tension between them was more unspoken, but everyone could sense the feud.

Tony brushed Bucky off entirely, and he slowly looked behind him. The impulse to put Bucky in his place remained in his mind, but Tony was unaware that his thoughts were up for grabs.

Stephen and Steve both knew that they needed to tread a little more carefully around Tony. Bucky’s insult sparked a mood in him that they both had encountered before.

It was also a mood that they both enjoyed, so it felt like some obstacles were slowly coming back in the mix.

Stephen just started walking away from the house. He didn’t wait for anyone, because he needed to walk off what he felt.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	70. Nebraska (Part 10)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 70:Nebraska (Part 10)

* * *

Tony breezed right on into the small guest house, and he started heading toward the room that he intended to share with Steve.

He always got in a sour mood when Bucky started his shit. Tony hated him, and he did his best not to show it. The brunette sighed, and migrated through the crash pad.

Stephen walked in after him. He didn’t say anything to Bucky or Steve, and he just followed Tony’s overheated lead. The newbie-sorcerer saw that he was headed toward the back room, so he tried to stop him before he got too far.

“You wanted to talk to me?”

Well, here I am. That’s what Stephen thought. He didn’t care if Steve was there, and he also didn’t care about Bucky. It was all about timing, and the odds were currently in Tony’s favor.

The brunette stopped walking toward the room, and he sucked in a slow breath. Tony turned around, and he saw Stephen at the end of the hallway. He asked them if they could talk.

“I might have mentioned that.”

Tony started feeling uneasy. Bucky’s comment still nagged in his mind, so he glanced over at the front door to the house. Steve was still outside, and Tony wasn’t sure if it was ok.

He still didn’t know how Steve felt about Stephen. That blonde never told him how that forced “confession” made him feel. 

“A lot happened while you were gone. It felt like you took off for good.”

Tony just said the first thing that came to his mind. He thought that he sounded stupid, or something. All of it was STUPID. Tony felt like an idiot all the time. 

He didn’t know why he got that way, but it just happened in times like that. Stephen kept listening to all of Tony’s negative thoughts, and he tried to figure out what was going on.

The newbie-sorcerer started getting pretty confused, so he stepped back from the hallway.

“Let’s talk out here.”

He went toward the living room, and pondered Tony’s thoughts for a while longer. He figured that Tony continuously looked down on himself, because of some outside connections.

Steve had a deep connection with Bucky, while Stephen had Clea. The sorcerer had a feeling that Tony’s negative mindset started there. He took a seat in the living room, and waited for Tony to follow.

The brunette did walk into the living room, but he kept looking at the front door. 

“I got overwhelmed, and left. I didn’t intend to be gone that long, but I remember upsetting you before I left.”

Stephen never owned up to hurting Tony. He turned back the clock to look into the Mind Stone, and he was able to watch exactly what he did to him.

His emotions were being suppressed, so he completely blew off what he had going with Tony. He also kept bringing up Clea, and Stephen finally saw how much it affected him.

He made Tony feel invisible, and then he took off. Stephen understood Tony’s hesitation in that moment, so he glanced over at the door as well.

“You got any weed?”

Tony’s playful smile returned to him, because he asked for something that would probably start some drama. The newbie-sorcerer glanced back at the brunette, and he remembered the moment when they first met.

Tony asked him the same question when he unpacked his things, and it made Stephen quietly laugh. He moved to the edge of his chair, then looked over toward the bedroom that he chose.

Outside the house, Bucky and Steve were chatting by the van. Steve wanted to know what Bucky did, but the taller brunette insisted that he didn’t do anything.

Tony was supposedly “in love” with Steve and Stephen, remember? So what was his actual problem? Bucky had to roll his eyes, and he was unaware that Steve had a hidden trick.

The almost-soldier never really used it, but for that conversation, he felt like he had to.

“Tell me what you said to him. I’m not going to let you instigate a-“

“I didn’t instigate shit. He brought up not “getting any” from you, so I reminded him that he could just hop over to Stephen. That’s just stating fact.”

That was not just stating fact. Steve formed a glare that Bucky was very accustomed to. He was proud of his statement, because he always felt that Tony was full of shit.

“I seem to recall you having two women in your apartment, Bucky... so stop throwing that in Tony’s face.”

“I never claimed to love them. Hell, I barely even liked them.”

So what. Bucky didn’t see the comparison in the same light. Plus, he only slept with one of them, and the other one was just a tag-along. Bucky took in a deep sigh, and he looked over at the van.

“But, Tony does claim to love us both. You can’t belittle that, or instigate a situation like this.”

“You seriously believe that crap?”

Bucky almost rolled his eyes. He crossed his arms instead, and Steve just cemented his posture in front of the house. Steve could not be moved from his viewpoint, and he believed Tony. He knew that the unruly brunette had an emotional connection with them both. 

Steve didn’t like what Bucky was doing, but he could tell that it came from a protective place.

“Yes Bucky, I seriously believe that crap.”

The two of them quickly looked over at the house. They both sniffed at the Nebraskan air, and inhaled a familiar scent. It smelled like burnt yard clippings, and they both thought about the time they spent at the X-Mansion.

Steve kept staring at the door. His entire body turned toward the house. It was almost as if he was longing to head in. Bucky kept staring at his friend, and it felt like he was experiencing a bit of deja vu. 

“You’ve really flipped, good luck with that Steve.”

Bucky gave his friend a pat on the shoulder, and he started heading off toward the van. Bucky opened the hatch, and disappeared out of sight.

Steve shook his head a little, and he started looking down at the ground in slight defeat. Tony and Bucky were never going to mesh. Steve told himself that, as he glanced back up at that house. 

He recalled the smell again, and remembered the exact moment when he first set his eyes on Tony and Stephen. They seemed very unusual, and they both were as high as a kite. Steve remembered them wearing sunglasses in the middle of a school auditorium. 

He saw them as some sort of “upscale” rich kids from an unknown world, and it was something that Steve Rogers would never forget.

It was time for the three of them face the music. Steve thought of that as he stepped up to the door. That blonde let himself into their peculiar world.

He wanted to join it back at the X-Mansion, but he never admitted that to anyone. Steve closed the door behind him, and finally, he didn’t question it, or look back. 

He smiled at them from where he stood, and his curiosity picked up quick.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	71. Between Two Points (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 71:Between Two Points (Part 1)

* * *

The vibe in that guest house could be summed up with just one word: chill. It was declared to be a drama free environment.

Tony felt like sitting, so he parked himself in a bulky brown chair. He saw that blonde walk into the room, and he checked over his shoulder for his precious sidekick.

Tony didn’t see Bucky Wonder, and he held a surprised expression. The look on Tony’s face was sarcastic, because he wasn’t really surprised.

Stephen was closing a small container. He glanced up at Steve Rogers, and placed that container in his bag. He gave Tony his weed, so he could calm the hell down.

Stephen was technically in the mood for his noise, but the combination of Tony and Bucky’s noise was too much. The newbie-sorcerer smoked with Tony, because he had his own edge that he needed to take off.

Their marijuana extravaganza was brief, but he noticed an interesting look on Steve’s face. The blonde crossed the room, and he took a seat close to Tony.

He wondered what they discussed. Steve kept glancing at one, then the other. A smile kept stretching on Tony’s face. It was getting bigger, and bigger as all the silence continued between the three of them.

They were alllll alone again. Tony remembered the last time he was alone with them. They were trapped in a mirror sphere, and some yummy shit happened.

That grin kept growing, and one of them rolled their eyes. Stephen adjusted in his chair, and he waited for one of them to get the conversation wagon moving.

Tony just smiled like a freak, and Steve was back to thinking about food. Stephen rolled his eyes yet again, and he loudly cleared his throat.

“I assume the two of you have questions about Clea? Weren’t you being immature and annoyed about that...”

OH YEAH. Tony stretched his left leg out as he processed Stephen’s rude comment. MRS. CLEA STRANGE. The tinker bell princess.

Stephen’s little pixie lady was definitely someone that Tony wanted to discuss. The sorcerer heard those ridiculous thoughts, and Tony’s hilarious labels for Clea. He sat there amused, and he started explaining.

“When I left, Agamotto took over my body. He was married to Clea in the Dark Dimension, and I was along for the ride. It’s very simple, and not as dramatic as you think.”

Stephen put his marriage in very simple terms. He did consider her his wife, and he planned to have a second wedding. 

That was probably the dramatic part, but Stephen decided to hold onto it for a while longer. He wanted Donna and Clea to bond over marriage... stuff. He heard a small laugh out of Tony, so the sorcerer slowly looked in his direction.

“Oh, ahaha.. I thought you seriously got down on one knee, and did the whole... wedding thing.”

Tony just thought it was odd for someone like Stephen. He didn’t seem very traditional, or sentimental. Steve hadn’t chimed in at that point, and Tony kept looking in his direction.

The brunette was actually over it. He sucked in a deep breath, and decided to bring something else up.

“You took Steve out for sandwiches, without me. That’s kinda fucked up Wiz.”

Tony was kidnapped. He laughed about it, and he started swaying a bit in his seat. Stephen had good weed, and Tony was feeling it. He had a little groove going on in his mind, and he almost started working on his music.

Steve immediately reacted to what he heard. He kinda hopped up, and asked Stephen if they had food there. They just ate dinner, but Steve was always hungry. 

He ditched the subject, and headed into the kitchen. Stephen was a little confused. He watched Steve flutter away like a little fairytale butterfly, and then he returned his focus to Tony.

What now? Oh right... sandwich drama.

“Well, I called to meet up with the two of you. Steve told me that you left, and he invited me to that Italian deli.”

Blame him. Stephen didn’t feel like he did anything wrong with that one. The sorcerer closed his eyes for just a moment, and he heard a bunch of noise coming from Steve’s direction.

Steve was breaking shit? Stephen was a little stoned, so he couldn’t really process what those idiots were doing. Tony jumped up out of his seat. He was in that kitchen immediately, and Stephen heard him saying something about the sandwich shop.

“Soooooo, how did it go at Momma Luisa’s?”

REMEMBER THAT? Tony didn’t forget a damn thing. He circled that blonde like a hawk, and swooped in when he tried to look somewhere else. 

Steve still didn’t WANNA TALK ABOUT MOMMA LUISA’S. !! He raised his voice in his head, and he awkwardly looked toward the other room. There was no food in the fridge. Obviously, The Strange family didn’t feed their guests.

Stephen stood up in the other room, and he slowly followed the noise. A curiosity was building about Steve, and he walked in on those two.

Tony was trying to pry some sort of confession out of Steve, but the blonde wouldn’t budge.

“Tell me what happened. You’ve been dodging it for almost a year.”

Ok, possibly a week. Tony couldn’t remember when he was kidnapped. He was all over Steve, and trying to get him to confess. The blonde was loving the attention, and he playfully tried to get those hands away from his shirt and arms.

He looked at Stephen several times, and mentioned that he had nothing to say.

Stephen recalled another detail. They got their food, and ended up feuding in another location. The newbie-sorcerer remembered Steve’s behavior, and how shy he seemed when he invited Stephen up to his apartment. It actually felt like a date.

He decided to think on it some more, and he kept watching where Tony’s hands were going. Those two were very playful. It amused Stephen, so he relaxed against the refrigerator.

Tony started getting a bit serious. He quietly asked Steve if he wanted something else to happen, and it seemed like he was going to answer.

The almost-soldier was very stubborn, and it looked like he was getting pretty warm. That brunette was closing in on Steve, and Stephen had to admire the way that Tony drew him in. 

He was very seductive, possibly magnetic, and the quiet blonde didn’t stand a chance. Stephen thought about joining in, but he figured that was the weed talking.

He sucked in a deep breath, and he kept watching those hands work their magic.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	72. Between Two Points (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 72:Between Two Points (Part 2)

* * *

Bucky was smoking in the van. He was laying across the middle seats, and staring up at the ceiling of the vehicle. He didn’t know what was going on in that guest house, and personally, Bucky didn’t care.

Steve Rogers was a big boy, and he could do as he pleased. Bucky always wanted that for him anyway, he just preferred not to see him get used.

A puff of smoke left his mouth, and Bucky started putting things together in his head. It felt like their outlook on love, and perspective on relationships were switching.

Steve was a hopeless romantic, and stuck on old traditions, while Bucky never gave a damn about any of it. He blew through women, and just used them to have someone around. Now, it seemed like Bucky was thinking more about one person, while Steve was branching out.

Bucky wasn’t dumb. He witnessed Steve constantly struggle with what he wanted. It seemed like he always tried to help him through it.

Bucky did all of that, but he denied himself the same thing. He ran away from relationships, and never let anyone get close. Steve was the only person that he considered being in a relationship with.

He decided against it pretty quickly, and luckily their friendship recovered. Bucky started imagining what he wanted, and someone like Donna kept filling his thoughts.

He liked her. Bucky thought about her all the time, but he kept thinking it was a bad idea. The not-so-winter-soldier never expected Donna to kiss him, or show interest, and he still wasn’t sure why she did that.

He rubbed his face and looked out the van window. The sky was very dark, and he started getting restless. Bucky realized that he was smoking too much, and he needed to distract himself.

The taller brunette opened the van door, and he slowly pushed it open with his foot. Bucky left the van, and he started walking toward the main house.

He knew that it was going to take him a while to reach the house, so he made a plan as he walked. If he saw Donna, then he intended to ask her out.

Bucky wanted to be very traditional with it, and actually date her. He didn’t want to repeat his old behavior. He kept asking himself the question, What Would Steve Do? as he planned it out.

He took his time walking, until he heard people talking. Tony’s parents were leaving the property. Bucky slowed down his pace, and he listened to what was being said.

Howard Stark apparently purchased some neighboring property, and he mentioned that they would return for the upcoming festival.

Bucky wasn’t in their line of sight, and he kept his distance on purpose. From what he could hear, Beverly and Eugene were on the porch. He couldn’t tell where Victor or Donna were.

He assumed they were in their bedrooms. Bucky waited for the car to head up the driveway. He watched the tail lights slowly disappear, as Howard turned onto the next road out.

Donna was upstairs. She was slowly unpacking her things, but debating her stay in the house. Her mother cornered her, and asked her some pretty blunt questions.

The questions made Donna feel very disrespected, but she knew where her mother was coming from. The young woman was very irritated, and unsure if she wanted to unpack at all.

She glanced out her bedroom window, and she stared out at the water that was beside the property. They had a small lake out there, and Donna kept staring at it for a short while.

Victor was doing the opposite. He was fully engaged in his room, and organizing his clothes. Victor planned to pack up more of his stuff to take home later. He didn’t get the opportunity to bring a ton of his belongings with him when Stephen first picked him up.

Now, Victor had the chance to pack some of his favorite things, and he was excited to dig around in his old bedroom. He didn’t have a care in the world as he looked through his old life, and he had no idea what was going on over on Donna’s side of the house.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	73. Between Two Points (Part 3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Note: The next few chapters are going to be pretty explicit. You’ve been warned. :)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 73:Between Two Points (Part 3)

* * *

Tony continued to kiss Steve’s skin, and he kept touching that warm body. He wasn’t getting any answers out of him, and Tony started thinking that he was doing it on purpose.

His hands were up his shirt. Tony brought his hands over Steve’s chest and stomach several times, and he always brought his hands back out to that crisp shirt. Tony twisted it up, as Stephen stepped closer to Tony.

He didn’t look at Steve, and he decided to help himself to Tony’s neck. Stephen’s hands even started wandering all around that brunette. He felt his clothes, and settled both of his hands on parts of Tony’s thighs.

Steve kept quiet. He watched what Stephen started doing, and he brought his own lips to Tony. The blonde started kissing his boyfriend, and Tony’s temperature immediately picked up.

Stephen’s hands found what Tony had packing, and he helped his arousal take shape. Those two had him flustered immediately, and Tony started bulging out beneath his dingy jeans.

Stephen wasn’t helping Tony chill at all. One hand traced his length, as the other slowly groped the sensitive tip. He wanted Tony all roused up, because Stephen planned to fuck him right there in the kitchen.

Steve could hear that plan. He kept his tongue moving against Tony’s, and he started pressing his waist toward him. He felt what Stephen was doing with his hands, so that unspoken competition between them picked up.

Steve moved downward, and Tony gasped once his lips were free. The fraternal twins were focusing on Tony’s cock, and that poor brunette thought he was going to have a heart attack.

Steve unbuttoned Tony’s jeans, and he helped him out of those pants. The blonde let Stephen continue his advance for a moment. He kept stroking and groping Tony’s exposed length, until Steve moved in.

Tony almost screamed. That newbie-sorcerer brought his hand up quick, and he covered Tony’s mouth. His pants were lowered to those fancy shoes, as Steve started taking all of Tony into his honey blonde mouth.

Stephen liked what he was seeing. Tony kept gasping and groaning against his hand, so he slipped two of his fingers into Tony’s mouth.

Holy shit. Tony was wiggin out. He wanted all of it, and he welcomed what they were doing to his body. Everything escalated very quickly between the three of them, and Tony was in a friggen daze.

He had a strong grip on that blonde hair, as he stepped open a little more for Steve. His mouth was killing Tony, because he wanted to tell him how good it felt.

Stephen kept his focus on Tony’s lower half. He looked over at the table, and he tried to map out where to take him.

The best plan for the moment was to keep him where he was, so Stephen brought his hand away from Tony’s mouth. His breathing and gentle moans picked up, but Stephen lost interest in that.

He directed his full attention to Tony’s ass. The newbie-sorcerer started preparing him, and spreading him open where they stood. Steve started helping. He kept licking at that length, and sucking him off as they worked those pants off of Tony’s feet.

Tony felt like he was falling forward. One hand quickly gripped the kitchen counter, because Stephen started lifting his hips upward. That “wizard” wanted Tony very badly, so he kept stretching him out.

His dick was almost ready, Tony was almost spent. He couldn’t last with Steve’s tongue. Fingers were stimulating Tony, and the weed was making his mind swirl. He gripped that countertop for balance, and roughly gasped, because Tony started feeling them in two separate ways.

He couldn’t suppress what he felt any longer. A strong hand was covering his mouth, but Tony started getting loud.

His body also started getting busy, because he finally felt the two of them at once.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	74. Between Two Points (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 74:Between Two Points (Part 4)

* * *

Bucky decided to head toward the porch. He wanted to talk to Donna’s parents, but something stopped him when he reached the side of the house.

A window was pushed open, and he watched someone stick their leg outside onto the ledge. Bucky abruptly stopped walking, and he stared up at the peculiar scene.

Donna wanted to head toward the lake, and she didn’t want to run into her parents at all. She climbed out her window all the time, so Bucky watched her maneuver along the side of the house, and slowly climb down.

He noticed that she was wearing a pair of jeans. Bucky was surprised to see her in something that wasn’t a skirt. Donna took her final steps toward the ground, and she noticed that she wasn’t alone on the side of the house.

She saw the person that occasionally walked her home, and she brushed off the strained sensation that she felt in her hands. The wood was pretty dry, so her hands were scraped up a little.

Donna stared at her hands. She was pretty annoyed, but it wasn’t “Bucky’s” fault.

She didn’t say anything to him, and just started walking toward the lake.Bucky glanced behind him for a moment, and then he followed after Donna.

He was going to explain that he was about to talk to her parents. He didn’t want her thinking that he was lurking around, or anything like that.

Donna actually didn’t think that way at all. She thought nothing of Bucky being outside the house, and she just kept walking.

She travelled down the property line, looked out at the beautiful lake. The moon was reflecting off of it, and the water looked clear and cold. Donna kept staring out at the slow moving water, as Bucky walked up beside her.

He looked behind himself again, as she closed her eyes.

“I remember dying out there. Stephen doesn’t think that I remember, but I do.”

He held her underneath the water, and she died a horrible death. Donna knew that it was Agamotto’s fault, but it was a hard pill for her to swallow. Bucky was shocked that she remembered as well.

He knew about her death, and he thought about it every now and then. Donna brought her focus up from the water, and she looked at the person that walked her home.

“Are you afraid of him?”

She started figuring out that Bucky wanted Stephen’s approval. She realized and decided that he was hesitating with her, because of her older brother. She wanted to know if it was true, so she brought it up the instant they were alone.

“It would be stupid, if I wasn’t. Your brother is becoming some sort of.. super wizard.”

Bucky saw videos and read files about the Sorcerer Supreme. Stephen’s powers were otherworldly, and Bucky knew that he didn’t stand a chance in battle.

Donna turned her body. She kept looking at James, and she couldn’t help it. She thought he was attractive, and her mother’s behavior infuriated her in that moment.

She looked back at the lake and sighed. Her older brother was annoying her as well.

“You don’t need his approval, or his permission for anything. He’s an asshole, and he gets away with everything. Stephen is a spoiled brat.”

Donna just vocalized only half of her frustration. She crossed her arms over her stomach, and glared ahead with all her thoughts. Bucky stepped closer to her, and he tried to study her face.

They all seemed spoiled. The three of them were rich farm kids, and that was that. Bucky waited to hear more, because he didn’t think that Donna was done venting.

She snapped her focus back to him, and she picked her thoughts back up. She moved onto the next order of business.

“My mother actually asked me if I was pregnant. Pregnant, with your child. Can you believe that? She didn’t believe me. She will not believe me, until I provide proof. How fucked up is  that?”

Donna felt very insulted. Stephen literally got to hide a marriage, while Donna was interrogated. She told herself that she only kissed the guy, and now she had to answer for some very invasive shit.

Bucky almost passed out from the shock. The thought of having a child was the last thing on his mind, and it was pretty odd for him to be accused of having one like that.

He looked over at the house, and then he took note of how upset Donna was. A thought came to his mind, and he took another step toward her.

Bucky thought she looked beautiful.

He wanted to tell her, but he thought it was odd to do that in that moment. She pushed her long hair off her shoulders, and openly sighed. His silence bothered her, and Bucky could tell.

“Do you want to leave? We can take the van that Stephen rented.”

Bucky pulled the keys out of his pants pocket. Donna brought her focus up toward those keys, and her eyes grew wide. Leave?

She felt very disrespected, and disappointed with her mother for not believing her. Donna had been caught with boys before, but she didn’t expect the lack of trust.

That was just kid stuff. Having a child with someone was a whole other ball game. Donna stared at those keys, and then she looked at Bucky’s face.

She thought he was very charming. She stared at his jacket, and his smile made her step about. Leave? Leave with him? Donna wondered where they would go together.

Donna took a step toward the person that walked her home. She quietly mentioned that she wanted to leave with him. They agreed to walk to the van, but Donna needed to get some things from her room.

Bucky watched her climb back up to her window. He checked his surroundings, and patiently waited for her. 

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	75. Between Two Points (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 75:Between Two Points (Part 5)

* * *

It got pretty dark in that kitchen, but no one made any moves to change the situation. Tony had his chest against the table, and he felt the two of them multiple times.

Tony sucked in several deep breaths, as Steve pulled him up from the table. The blonde took a seat, and he had Tony on his lap.

They were taking a break, and Stephen rest himself against the edge of table.

They thought it was going to break a few times. It felt like it was going to crash to the floor when Steve became more involved. He smiled about that a few times, and he quietly kissed on Tony’s shoulder.

Tony slowly moved over Steve’s lap, and kept his eyes closed. His greedy body kept going, and it made Steve gasp upward. He stared up at the ceiling, and let Tony move at his own pace.

That break didn’t last long. They couldn’t seem to stop what they were doing, and he heard Tony loud and clear. The brunette started kissing Stephen, then it sounded like he found the newbie-sorcerer with his tongue. Tony’s head was bobbing over that length. Stephen was very aroused, and he kept hearing a soft voice.

Steve was practically begging Stephen to finish in Tony’s mouth. He said that he wanted to see it, but the two of them hadn’t said a word out loud.

Steve was very hard. He held onto Tony’s lower half, and he started moving him at a faster pace. Tony gasped and squirmed as he was bounced over that lap. It gave him the perfect movement for Stephen, as his hips strengthened.

Stephen remained in one solid place, as Tony’s mouth worked over him. His whole body worked over the both of them, but it still wasn’t enough.

Stephen’s hands gripped Tony’s ears. He held him still, and fucked his throat. It started turning Steve on even more. The blonde held Tony’s hips still, and jerked up from the chair.

He told Stephen to cum when he did. Stephen heard that, and immediately eased up on Tony. He did it to be stubborn. The brunette took in a slow breath, then pulled Stephen’s hips back toward him. Steve was fucking him good, and he needed Stephen to feel it.

Steve inwardly told him to stop being difficult. He wanted Stephen to cum in Tony’s mouth, and he wanted it to be in unison. Tony had no idea that they were communicating. He was a bit busy, but he noticed a quiet laugh out of Stephen.

That gentle laugh pulled Tony out of his thought. He started paying a bit more attention to those identical opposites.

Steve was ready to blow. Tony could feel it, and he slowed his movements for a moment. The blonde squeezed Tony’s thighs in his hands, and he told him not to stop.

Another laugh escaped Stephen’s mouth, until he started looking at Steve’s chest. It was bulking up, and Stephen started getting curious. Tony started getting pretty unrestrained. He sat up as straight as he could, because Steve started thrusting up harder. 

He kept squeezing those thighs, and rolling Tony’s body over his. Stephen had to stand. He moved up from the table, and he brought Tony’s mouth back to him.

Tony took it all in, and that newbie-sorcerer held him tight. He started thrusting toward that throat, and watching Steve use Tony like he owned him everyday.

Stephen wondered if Steve wanted to use him like that, and a small laugh was heard again. Tony heard it come from Steve that time, but he couldn’t react. He felt them both. They both friggen... blew out all of their undisclosed tension, and it made Tony’s body buzz.

He gripped Stephen’s legs, and caught himself where he sat. Tony steadied his body, and he gently gripped his own cock. It was way too sensitive at that point. He sat back against Steve’s chest, and he slowly looked up at Stephen.

The sorcerer did exactly as Steve asked, and Tony was settling from the whole encounter. He felt them both, and his body felt good. Steve was still holding onto those thighs, and he had his face pressed against Tony’s back.

They all had a cold sweat forming, and a chill started sneaking in. Tony wiped at the left side of his mouth, and he kept looking up at Stephen. Tony had to clear his throat. He felt those honey blonde lips against his shoulder, but he had to ask the two of them a question.

“Are you two, communicating? Somehow?”

His voice was rough. Those fraternal twins didn’t hold anything back. Tony didn’t hold anything back either, and he didn’t care about his throat. He got off a few times, and he let the two of them do the same. 

Now, he wanted to know if they were chatting it up. Steve brought his head up from his shoulder. He was about to speak, and finally mention that he picked up telepathy.

Stephen quickly pressed his hand against Steve’s lips, and he gave Tony a gentle smile.

Shut up Steve. Honesty was not the best policy, in this case. Tony tried to glance at that hand, and he brought a sharp focus up to the all-knowing Stephen.

“We have TV here. I’ll set us up a spot to crash. Sound good?”

Stephen slowly stepped away from the table, and he gathered his pants from the floor. Tony kept watching his every move, as he grabbed some blankets from one of the rooms. Steve was still feeling a billion different things.

His body was still unwinding from all the stimulation. Tony was very familiar with it. He let Steve grip his waist, and continuously gasp against Tony’s skin.

Steve even twitched occasionally. His body would spasm sometimes before it calmed down. Tony turned his head, and he waited. He kissed Steve’s soaked forehead, and he saw a light suddenly shine through the small house.

The television was on, and Stephen found a movie that was airing on TV. The film was called “The Terminator”, and Stephen adjusted the volume. He brought a blanket back into the kitchen, and he handed it over to Tony and Steve.

They both watched him hunt around for snacks. The fridge was empty, but he knew that there was some pantry food for them to eat. Chips and stuff...

Stephen located what he wanted, and he took it with him into the small living room. Tony glanced back over at Steve. He checked in on that body, and gently kissed Steve’s cold lips.

He forgot to follow up on his question. Tony was in a bit of a daze, so it completely slipped his mind.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	76. Sky And The Road (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 76:  Sky And The Road (Part 1)

* * *

...

_“That Terminator is out there.”_

_..._

_“It can’t be bargained with.”_

_..._

_“Reasoned with.”_

_..._

_“It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse.”_

_..._

_“Or fear. And it absolutely will not stop.”_

_..._

_“Ever.”_

_..._

_“Until you are dead.”_

...

....

Steve Rogers, Stephen Strange, and Tony Stark were all huddled underneath several blankets. They were watching a scene from the film,  _The Terminator_ , and munching on some snack food.

“Wow, this movie is really intense.” 

Steve had to share his thought as he snagged some more crackers from the box. Stephen was holding the box. Someone kept coming to his mind as the newbie-sorcerer watched the movie.

He shoveled a handful of crunched up crackers into his mouth, and he glanced down at Tony. The brunette wasn’t catching the movie at all. He was softly sleeping, and he had his arms locked around Steve.

Tony was snug in between the “fraternal twins” and he quietly mentioned that he felt safe with them. He liked the two of them close, and he dozed off almost instantly.

Stephen kept thinking about that. He continued crunching on the crackers in his mouth, as he watched the character “Kyle Reese”. He was fleeing the Terminator, and he stole an old car.

“He reminds me of Bucky...”

Stephen had to mention that, and he snapped his focus toward Steve. Yeah, the blonde could see a lot of his friend in that character. He saw more of Bucky in Kyle Reese than Stephen even knew.

He agreed with that comparison, but he didn’t respond to Stephen. He looked down at Tony instead. Tony looked very cute. Steve wanted to sink down lower and wallow all over him, but he didn’t want to wake him up.

He saw Stephen gently fix Tony’s wrecked hair, and then their eyes finally connected. Steve looked right at Stephen, as a shooting scene broke out on the TV.

They had been in each other’s minds for a short while, so it felt odd for them to interact in that moment. They just kept staring, until Steve glanced over at the TV.

He thought about commenting on the Bucky thing, but that topic had already gone cold. Stephen was more fixated with the snacks that he dug up. Steve watched him paw at the box for more.

“So I..”

Uhhh, Steve started talking, but he stopped himself right at the start. He killed his own thought, and Stephen slowly looked up from the box. Steve gave him a quick smile, and he tried his thought again.

“I’ve been planning some new arrangements in the apartment, in Brooklyn.”

There. He said it. Steve did a double check on Tony. He looked peaceful, and relaxed. Stephen’s eyebrow arched up naturally when people spoke to him. The sorcerer spoke quietly, because a slight curiosity kicked in.

“Arrangements?”

“Yes. I’ve arranged for some changes, in the apartment. It will be expanded. More living room space, and, there will be more room for books, and stuff.”

Steve looked a little nervous. Stephen was immediately confused. He ignored the noisy film, and turned a bit more in Steve’s direction. 

The blonde just held a small smile. Stephen’s eyes were very sharp, because he was studying the look on Steve’s face. They both glanced down at Tony, because they thought he moved.

Their interesting conversation continued after a moment. Stephen’s eyebrow arched up again, and he looked puzzled.

“There will be more room for medical books, or whatever sort of books.”

The more the merrier. Steve started nodding with his own thought. Stephen was taking that as a hint, but he wasn’t exactly homeless. Stephen decided to take over the Sanctum Sanctorum.

He also had his school residency. He technically lived there. A small smirk formed on his face, and he thought of a response for Steve.

“The door is open, that’s the point. If, you want to come over, you can.”

Steve just told him what he thought, and Stephen’s original response got very lost. He blinked several times, and pondered Steve’s decision. While those two were busy staring at one another, and wondering about additional book space, Tony woke up, and he opened one of his friggen eyes.

He was about to snap them both in half, but he refrained. Tony kept pretending like he was asleep. Those two were mega crushing, or something. Tony almost gasped, because he felt them move in all close above his head.

Tony was pretty sure that they were, what? Kissing? No way. Tony almost gasped as he tried to look up. He almost blew his cover, because they moved back how they were pretty quickly.

“Yeah, I don’t...that could work out. I could study there, or maybe sometimes visit. On weekends.”

Stephen sounded a little tongue-tied. He wasn’t against going over to Steve and Tony’s. He liked what happened in the kitchen, and he also liked how comfortable they all were in front of that TV.

It got quiet, and Tony felt them move in all close to each other again. Steve was kissing Stephen. Tony tried to sneak his eyes upward again. The brunette squinted, and tried to take another peek.

He caught a glimpse of that super silent kiss between them, and TONY ALMOST FRIGGEN DIED A THOUSAND DEATHS. His body burst into flames, and he tried to fake sleep again.

It apparently worked, because they didn’t notice. Steve had a very warm face, and he forced himself to look at the movie. He was pretty fascinated with Stephen, but the sandwich disaster didn’t go as planned.

Stephen didn’t expect all that, so he just stared at the movie, and did the exact same thing.

There was another car chase scene. The noise from the TV picked up again, and they both glanced down at Tony.

Tony resumed his innocent sleeping angel appearance, but he knew exactly what that blonde was up to. The brunette gently bit his tongue, as the movie carried on around him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	77. Sky And The Road (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another slightly explicit chapter. Quick warning. :)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 77:

Sky And The Road (Part 2)

* * *

Donna tossed her suitcase down to Bucky. She quietly told him that she was going through the side door of the house.

He caught her luggage, and wondered why she was taking that risk. The answer revealed itself when she eventually walked up to him. Donna changed her clothes, and she would not be climbing down the side of a house wearing a skirt.

Bucky didn’t complain about the change. Those legs drove him crazy, and he started thinking that she was doing it on purpose. Donna was doing it on purpose, Bucky’s assumption was correct.

He followed her home for months, and she always saw where his eyes sometimes went. She didn’t care if he looked at her legs. Donna enjoyed her skirts.

Anyway, they walked toward the van, and Bucky carried her stuff. He didn’t say anything, because he started thinking about her mother’s assumptions about them.

She already expected them to be all wrapped up with a kid. That notion was insane for Bucky, but he tried not to dwell on it. Donna was done brooding, until she saw her mother again.

She didn’t want that to happen for a while. The young woman didn’t intend to go back for a long time. She was pretty mad at Stephen as well, so she decided to ditch the Harvest.

Her father was going to be furious, but that was her mother’s problem. It was her fault. They saw the van up ahead, and Bucky glanced in her direction.

He wasn’t sure where she wanted to go, but she knew the state better than he did. They saw the lights from the movie flashing about in the small guest house. Bucky ignored it, and he unlocked the passenger door for Donna.

He opened it for her, and she stepped into the van. Donna watched him set her stuff behind her seat. The not-so-winter-soldier climbed in, and eventually turned the engine on. He officially stole that van, and drove it away from the guest house.

Donna was glad to see it go. She was glad to see her family home disappear as well. Her smile got pretty big, once they turned onto the opposing road.

Bucky asked her for a destination, but Donna didn’t really have one. She looked in his direction, and then her eyes travelled over toward the gas gauge.

“A gas station is a good idea.”

She pointed at the little pictures that indicated they were at a quarter tank. Bucky agreed with her, and he remembered seeing a station somewhere.

He made sure that he knew where that sort of stuff was, because he wasn’t that interested in staying. Bucky was very glad that Donna wanted to leave.

The family stuff was torture for him, but he couldn’t say that out loud. He was more of a solitary person, and he started thinking that Donna understood that. He kept glancing in her direction.

She wanted them to get as far away from the house as possible, but she also wanted him to just pull the van over. Donna slowly chewed on her bottom lip, and she fixed her skirt a little.

“So, you weren’t being paid to babysit me? Was Stephen telling the truth?”

It was finally time for Donna to hear his explanation. She crossed her arms, and watched his expression change as he drove.

Bucky had hoped that she forgot all about that. He wanted her to forget about it, but she was patiently waiting to hear his response. She kept staring at his small grin, as he thought over his answer.

“He was. I lied.”

Bucky was going through a bit of deja vu. He already admitted that he lied to a person before. That person was Steve, but the situation wasn’t that far off. Donna’s mouth just dropped open, it could have fell down onto her lap.

“What? .... Why? Why did you lie?”

Why lie? She didn’t get it. In her opinion, the constant lie that he told was actually making her feel like shit. He said that he was “paid” to walk her home, right? Well, that made Donna feel like he really didn’t want to be there.

She thought that he had a girlfriend, or that he wasn’t interested. Turns out, he had random women in his apartment. Women that he slept with, and he just happened to walk her home.

How stupid. Donna started feeling angry. She glared out the window, and Bucky started feeling her fierce vibes.

“I just lied. I don’t really have a reason, it just seemed like the better choice.”

What?! Donna snapped her focus from that window. She looked directly at “Bucky”, James, Mr. Random liar ...with flames beneath her skin. Seriously? She was at a loss for words.

Bucky was absolutely horrible at that sort of stuff. He had already moved on from what Stephen said about him. Bucky really wasn’t sure what to say, and he sighed. He quickly tried to think about what Steve would do in that situation, and he sighed again.

Honesty was the best policy, right?

“I lied to you, because I had random women at my apartment. It was a total mess, and I felt like a mess. I figured that I was doing you a favor.”

Just like with Steve. It was better if he just kept lying, and let him move on. Tony was a pain in the ass, but Bucky knew that Steve loved him. Steve was obsessed with Tony, and Bucky thought it was good for him.

He was not good for him, at all, and he also felt that way about Donna. So, he lied.

He wanted to continue lying to her, but Stephen didn’t let that happen. He forced out the truth, and now they were in a stolen van. Bucky was just driving down a dirt road, and Donna was sitting there beside him.

He looked over at her several times. He couldn’t really focus on the road any longer, so he slowly brought the van to a stop. He still felt like a mess, and he didn’t know if telling her any of that would fix it.

Bucky had no idea what he was doing, and he was having a bit of a hard time. He just kept his hands on the wheel, and he waited for... what?

Another question? He didn’t mind them, and it felt like the hardest one was over. Bucky’s attention was pulled up from the steering wheel, because Donna moved over toward him.

She didn’t like what he said at all, and she was beginning to see what he was really saying to her. James didn’t feel like he was good enough, and she didn’t know why he felt that way.

She wanted to know why he thought so little of himself, and her first instinct was to pull him into a kiss. She already kissed him once, but Donna really went for it in that van. Her plan was to take his mind off of those negative thoughts, and her plan to distract him picked up right away.

Bucky was a quiet person, but he was pretty passionate, and physical when a person really interested him. Donna advancing on him sparked that trait in him immediately. He wanted her, and he thought about it all the time.

He returned her kiss, and she was surprised with his quick response. Their kiss started getting aggressive, and she absently maneuvered on top of his lap.

Bucky gasped back from their kiss for a second, and he looked down at his lap. He absolutely had to focus on that skirt for a moment, because those legs were spread over his dark jeans.

They started kissing again, and moving around in that seat. All of that nervous shit, and hesitant behavior between them was finally out of the way in the front of that van. Donna always wanted to be invited to his apartment.

She always wanted to sleep with Bucky, and that random women bullshit only made her angry. Her kiss was fueled with anger, and it was stirring up the serum that Bucky was given. His body was altered, and revved up just like Steve’s.

The not-so-winter-soldier responded to Donna’s aggressive behavior with his touch. He pushed his hand up her skirt, and slowly started doing what he wanted to do when he first saw Donna Strange.

She wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders. He was teasing his fingers between her legs, and she quietly gasped against his ear. That sound caused Bucky to speed up the motions with his hand, and it made Donna unbutton his jeans.

She needed to feel him. His pants were open, and shoved out of the way. Donna was tired of waiting. Her mother’s comments could be damned as well. Donna’s face lit up, and she breathed hard again against his neck again.

They both started gasping, and moving in very short bursts. They only had a small amount of space, but a thrill kicked in immediately.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	78. Sky And The Road (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 78:

Sky And The Road (Part 3)

* * *

The sun rose over that beautiful Nebraskan farmland. Stephen was the second person to wake up, and he noticed that Tony was somehow all tangled up around his arm and leg.

Stephen exhaled as he stretched out of his sleep, and he kept looking down at Tony’s messy hair. His arm was stuck, and the newbie-sorcerer couldn’t stop yawning.

He tried to pry his leg free, but that cling-on wasn’t moving. Stephen grumbled, and he started rudely telling Tony to wake up. 

Forget it. Tony wasn’t getting up for anyone. He kept dreaming, and squeezing someone’s yummy arm. Stephen rubbed his eyes with his free hand, and he noticed that Steve was brushing his teeth.

They all managed to sleep in the same bed. None of them fell off, and Stephen found that amusing. He stretched his free foot upward, and he started using it to push Tony away from his arm. His long leg started moving toward the other side of the bed, but the brunette wasn’t giving up that easily.

He grabbed ahold of Stephen’s other leg, and the sorcerer started laughing. He was on a mission to get that barnacle-like person off his body. The more he moved, the more Tony wrapped up around him.

“WOULD YOU GET ...”

Christ. Stephen was all wound up, and he tried to squirm away from Tony’s grip. Steve looked in on their squabble, and he quickly smiled. He inwardly wished Stephen good luck, because Tony probably planned to do that all day.

Tony Stark was super lazy, and he preferred to sleep at very odd times. Steve always thought he was an odd one, but that was part of his charm.

Stephen tried to lure him with breakfast. He mentioned that his mother always made a delicious meal for her perfect children. 

Something about that comment made Tony laugh. Her perfect children belonged in a loony bin. The last name “Strange” fit them all very well.

Except for Victor. Tony thought Victor was a cutie, and exempt from their stranger ways. Tony became distracted with his thoughts, and he stretched his arms back. The brunette yawned very loudly, as Stephen pried his way to freedom.

Tony gave him a playful laugh, and he rolled his eyes at the newbie-sorcerer. Whutever buddy. Tony hugged his pillow instead, and he rolled around that messy bed.

Stephen joined Steve in the next room, and he started brushing his teeth. He was hungry for breakfast. Stephen put the toothbrush in his mouth and he walked out toward the living room.

He became a bit absent-minded, as he looked out the front window. That van was gone, and Stephen wasn’t surprised at all.

He had a feeling that Bucky was going to leave. He brushed his teeth, and thought about it. The sorcerer walked back toward the others, and he mentioned that Bucky stole the van.

They discussed Bucky taking off on the walk over toward the house. Steve, Tony, and Stephen got ready, and they made their way toward the main house.

As long as he returned the van to the airport, then Stephen wouldn’t have to hurt him. He made that point very clear as they reached the house.

They all saw Eugene Strange on the porch. He was only focused on Stephen, and his expression looked familiar. He kinda looked just like Stephen when he was in a bad mood.

Eugene was not a happy camper, and he asked Tony and Steve to head inside. He politely mentioned that food was ready, but he wanted Stephen to stay put.

Great. Wonderful. Stephen’s mood immediately mirrored his father’s. He kept his focus on Tony and Steve, as they stepped into the house. They were technically dismissed.

Ho shit. Tony kinda cringed. He followed after Steve, and they made their way to the dining room. Victor was sitting all alone, and he looked upset as well.

Steve pulled one of the chairs out, and he sat down beside Stephen’s younger brother.

“What’s up Vic?”

He looked troubled, and his food was just sitting on his plate. Victor lost his appetite, and he looked in the direction of the family porch.

“I screwed up. My dad started talking to me, he asked me questions, and I told him stuff. I think I got Stephen in trouble.”

He thought that his father was really talking to him, but he was just trying to get information about Stephen. It was always devastating for Victor, so he brought one of his legs up onto his chair.

“Stephen is going to get so mad at me. I forgot, or I didn’t think about what I wasn’t supposed to say..”

“He’s not going to get mad. We won’t let him. Right Tony?”

Steve tried to sound cheerful. Victor looked very upset, and his demeanor didn’t change with Steve’s words. He started picking his food with his fork, and he looked back out toward the front of the house again.

“You haven’t seen them argue. They shouldn’t be on the same planet.”

It was a bad mix. Victor’s voice got quiet, and he sat up toward his plate. His mother walked into the room, and she told them all to catch their breakfast. Beverly mentioned that it was getting cold, but the focus was actually on the front porch.

Tony and Steve could see parts of it from the front windows. They started noticing that someone else was kinda... missing...

Donna Strange was, where? Tony glanced over at Steve. Uhh, Steve glanced over at Tony. The vibes around the house were getting pretty tense. The two of them quickly grabbed a plate full of food, and they wandered a little closer toward the porch.

Stephen stepped up onto it, and he stared at his father. The head honcho of the Strange estate was staring directly at Stephen, and it felt like a silent showdown.

“Where’s your sister?”

Eugene’s tone was cold. Stephen was very familiar with it, and he tried to just brush it off. He even brought his shoulders upward.

“Am I supposed to know where she is at eight in the morning?”

“Where’s your friend?”

Let’s try that one. He was not in the mood for Stephen’s sarcasm. In his opinion, it was the eldest child’s business to know where his siblings were, and the time of day was irrelevant. The oldest was supposed to lead, and set a good example.

Stephen failed at that, and he was not fooling Eugene for one second. Stephen listened to his father’s thoughts, and it made him grit his teeth a little.

Stephen had no idea where Bucky was, but he started thinking that the idiot took off with Donna. That was going to be a huge problem, because his father most likely had the shotgun ready.

How dramatic, and how very Nebraska.

“I don’t need to know where they are. He’s a good person. So, relax.”

Stephen’s went out on a limb, and he decided to stick his neck out for Bucky Barnes. If he was with Donna, then they better keep driving that van. The father looked pretty lethal, because being told to relax got on his last nerve.

“You went missing, Stephen. Your school says you’ve been out for months, and they asked us if you planned on returning. I’m also told that your “good person” has been hanging around Donna and Victor.”

Victor was just wasting his time in New York, while Donna was out wandering around in the streets. Stephen left his siblings to do, what?

“Should I also relax about that?”

It was a simple question. Eugene wasn’t a fan of his children pissing away their time and money. He worked hard for them, and he was under the impression that they would stick together.

Stephen rolled his stubborn eyes, and he took a hesitant step. He heard his father’s low-opinion, and it bothered him. He had his reasons for not being at school, but those reasons were corrected for everyone else.

“Yes. You should relax about all of it. Victor left here, with me... when school was OUT. He spends some of his time at a school up in Westchester. If he wants to enroll permanently, then that is coming up. Donna works, and she prefers to do that over school right now.. Bucky Barnes just walks her home. Maybe that changed as of yesterday.”

He wasn’t sleeping on the job. Stephen knew exactly what was going on with his siblings, and he wasn’t friggen worried about them. He didn’t care about his father’s opinion.

The guy needed to RELAX and Stephen’s energy was picking up. He forced himself to calm down, because his father’s anger would match his own, and it would only escalate.

“I left school, because something happened. I didn’t want to be there. Do you care to know why?”

He didn’t think so. His father never cared unless it offered someone a profitable result. He expected Stephen to always have his nose to the grindstone. Never stopping, always working. Work. Grind. Go. Go. Go. Hamster spinning on the wheel, shit.

Fuck that. Stephen rubbed his eye and he looked over at the house. He could hear some noisy thoughts in there, and he sighed. His father maintained a contemplative look. Stephen looked up toward his father again, and he finished his thought.

“I met someone, and I left school to spend time with her. Donna and Victor are fine, and pretty independent without me keeping tabs. I’m going to go eat.”

Bye. His stomach won the battle. Stephen just stepped away from his father, and he walked into the house. He walked by Tony and Steve. Those two were eating, and watching the discussion. Stephen kept his cool, for once, and he walked into the dining room.

He gently messed up Victor’s hair, and sat down at the large table. Stephen was starving. The crackers and snack bullshit did nothing to suppress his hunger.

Victor quietly pawed at his messed up hair. He ate some of his food, and he smiled at his brother. Stephen shoveled some food in his mouth, and he looked at his adorable sibling.

Victor looked a little lonely. Stephen made a note of that as he chomped down some more food.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	79. Sky And The Road (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 79:  Sky And The Road (Part 4)

* * *

“Harvest Week” was going strong. The group was smaller, because Donna and Bucky never returned. That was all well and good, because the crew got all the foodie festivities up and running.

Tony really enjoyed the corn. Stephen was showing him all the ways it could be prepared, and they had another crew of people in charge of all the food.

Steve was in heaven. They had carnival like food, and that blonde was overjoyed. He ate like a hog, and he was sad that he was too big for the rides.

Tony kept looking over at Steve. He was so friggen cute. He got even more cute when Stephen started explaining what a “Dilly Dog” was.

...what the eff? Tony had to hear that one. He ate his deep-fried, parmesan crusted corn, and he listened in.

“You take the core out of the pickle, and stuff in a hot dog. It gets battered and deep-fried.”

YUCK. Tony held a grossed out face after he heard that. Steve was willing to try it, but Stephen informed him that he was not a fan.

He kept chatting with them, but his main focus was on Victor. His younger brother was playing a festival game. He was a little more to-himself than normal, so Stephen made sure that he spent time with him.

Tony and Steve didn’t mind. They stood by one another, and Steve ate that gross pickle thing. Tony cringed about it again, but he had to smile because Steve started saying something beside his ear.

Oh yeah? Tony playfully rolled his eyes at what was said, and he gently started pinching Steve’s ribs.

That’s basically how it was in Nebraska. The festival lasted an entire week, and every Strange child was expected to be there. They technically ran the show, and Tony started noticing that Stephen was a bit of a local celebrity.

A ton of people showed up to that harvest, and they all seemed to know Stephen pretty well. He was asked if he was a doctor yet, and all sorts of questions.

It was cute. Tony enjoyed watching him interact with local families, and all that jazz. The three of them stayed in that guest house all week. Tony got absolutely everything that his greedy little heart asked for in that guest house, and he hoped that it would carry on when they got back to New York.

He saw his father twice. The last time he saw him in Nebraska was on the final night of the festival. They were beside the small carousel, and Howard said that he needed to talk to him.

Tony kept staring at the little kids. They looked so happy on the colorful horses. His father was resting against a small fence, and he kept staring at Tony’s smile.

“You look happy today kid.”

Howard had to state his observation. Tony pried his focus away from the little joyride, and he looked at his father. Tony felt happy, and safe.

He loved being with Steve and Stephen, but all good things had to end sometime.

“You mentioned that you plan on working for me when you get back. Have you changed your mind?”

Howard hoped that he did. He didn’t want his son becoming involved with his portion of Stark Industries, or with S.H.I.E.L.D. Howard was very protective, and the incident in the elevator only made it worse.

Tony glanced over at Steve, Victor, and Stephen. They were playing a toss up game, and it looked like they were letting Victor win. Tony held a small smile, and he focused on the question.

He had plans to get started on, and he really needed to get to work.

“Nah, my mind is still set. I’ve got some things I need to work out with my older self, but I am ready when you line up a job.”

Tony wanted to head straight into field work. What he had planned with his older self would take a little time, but Tony wasn’t sweating the details.

He just had to let the fraternal twins know about it at some point. Howard gave a small sigh, and he started watching all the happy children on the carousel ride.

“We’ve got a big job coming up. I would like to have all of you in on it, if that’s even possible. The job would need you, Steve, Bucky, and Stephen.”

Could anyone convince Stephen Strange that he needed to get to work? Howard had to wonder. His eyes turned in Stephen’s direction.

He saw him wearing the clothing that belonged to the “Sorcerer Supreme”, but Howard was convinced that he was only playing house as well.

“You can count us dadio. I’ll make sure of it.”

Tony smiled at his father, and he started heading toward his group. Tony figured that Steve was the one that could possibly convince Stephen Strange to put on the cloak.

Yeah, if S.H.I.E.L.D. needed the almost-wise-wizard-supreme, then Steve Rogers was the one that could get it done.

It was their last night in Nebraska, so Tony decided to let all of that stuff go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	80. Sky And The Road (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 80:

Sky And The Road (Part 5)

* * *

Donna was sitting in the passenger seat of the van. She was trying to fix a few of her necklaces, because they got all tangled up and intertwined.

Bucky was driving them to the airport. They both had a flight to catch, and he needed to return the rental. He kept looking over at Donna, and the disheveled jewelry made him form a small smile.

He didn’t mean to get them all messed up. It just happened..

Bucky turned into the airport, and he remembered the directions toward the rental place. Donna was realizing that his memory, and sense of direction was off the charts.

He didn’t look at a map once. Bucky just had a natural ability to know his surroundings at all times. He made a note in his head about the rental place when they first left the airport, and now he was simply returning.

Simple stuff. The not-so-winter-soldier parked, and he asked Donna if her jewelry was a total loss. She smiled at the small gold necklaces in her hand, and she quietly responded.

“I’ll fix it eventually. Don’t worry about it.”

She had the patience to unwind the mess. Donna planned to continue working on it during the flight. She stepped out of the van, and she placed her jewelry in her fancy purse.

Bucky carried her stuff. She told him that she could get it, but he quickly shut her down.

“Get what?”

He didn’t know what she was talking about. She watched him lock up the van, and he tossed his own bag over his shoulder. Bucky packed very light.

She stayed in a hotel with him for the remainder of the trip, and the two of them barely left the room. Thoughts about that were forced out of her mind at the moment, because she knew what was going to happen in the near future.

Donna Strange was going to be face-to-face with her brothers in a short while, and she wasn’t sure how that was going to go. She absently started walking a little closer to Bucky.

She still called him James, but she was realizing how affectionate that actually was. He told her that she was the only person that used his real name. Donna took it as something special, because she didn’t think that much of it when they first met.

The two of them stepped apart after they returned the van keys. They checked in the luggage, and started going through airport security. Bucky struggled a little when he had to put his shoes back on.

They stood very close as soon as all that noise was over, and Donna started getting nervous. She began running different scenarios about her brothers in her head, and she started looking around. Maybe, they teleported home.

Maybeeeee, they decided to move back to Nebraska. Maybe their father dropped them off. Maybe.....

Donna stepped even closer to him, and she pressed her forehead against Bucky’s shoulder. He seemed pretty calm, and Donna wanted to know his secret. She exhaled against his soft jacket, and asked him if he was calm.

Calm? Bucky glanced down at her dark hair. He was a little confused by the question. 

“You’re not freaking out? They might already be here. Or, they’ll be here any minute. How are you so calm?”

She had to squeeze his arm a little bit. Donna pressed her forehead against his shoulder again, and she waited for his response. Bucky’s right shoulder pulled up into a slight shrug.

“I’m calm, because I don’t care what they think.”

They didn’t do anything wrong. Stephen gave him the keys to the van, and Bucky knew that he didn’t intend to really use it. That rich farm boy could order himself up another escort, or have his mommy and daddy drop him off.

Or, he could float to the airport. Bucky was well aware of who had the easier journey. Bucky couldn’t teleport, or snap his fingers and get whatever he wanted.

That’s why he didn’t care about using the van, and he didn’t care about the opinion of anyone else.

Donna felt insulted, and she wanted to leave. In Bucky’s opinion, her parents needed to understand why she left, and it wasn’t Donna’s job to spell it out for them. No thanks.

“They’re over there.”

He pointed toward the security terminal. He listened to Donna quickly gasp. She was freaking out because her behavior was ......

Yeah......

Donna really didn’t hold back in that hotel, and her mind was drifting toward a guilty place. Bucky felt the opposite, but he understood why Donna was nervous. 

He decided to do all the talking, which wasn’t normally his style. Bucky saw Tony’s punk face first. Then he saw Victor, Steve, and the ever-so-wonderful Stephen Strange.

The small pack walked right up to Donna and Bucky, and the death of conversation slowly settled in. Silence dominated the group, and Donna kept her focus on the food court.

“Here’s the return receipt, for the van.”

There. Bucky did all the talking, and he said all that he needed to say. Everything else that happened between him and Donna, was none of his business. Stephen’s eyebrow was arched up as high as it could go, and he quietly accepted the receipt.

“Thanks.”

The newbie-sorcerer slowly folded the piece of paper, and he continued to look upon his younger sister. Donna was very quiet, and she was looking off toward some distant land.

Stephen kept his eyes on her, as he gently placed the receipt paper in his wallet. Victor started looking around at everyone. Weirdness was everywhere. He noticed a weird distant look on Tony’s face all week, and he kinda saw something similar in Steve. 

Victor studied them for a moment, then he glanced over at Stephen. His brother was super weird again, and Victor thought it was because of Tony. He didn’t forget what he witnessed with those two, and he assumed it was a thing again.

Uhh, the baby brother changed his focus.

Bucky was exactly the same.... he didn’t really act that weird but Victor knew that he was gone all week with his sister.

Now, Donna was frozen like a stump. Victor swallowed whatever words he might have had, because Stephen was still putting his wallet into his book bag. He continued staring at Donna, and patiently waited for that bundle of nerves to explode.

Donna snapped her attention in Stephen’s direction. She was still pretty upset with her delightful older brother. She felt him relentlessly staring at her, and so she couldn’t stop herself. She had to engage, and possibly argue.

“Did you have a good trip, Stephen?”

“I did. You?”

“I did as well, thank you.”

“..You’re welcome.”

They both sounded so polite, and oh so kind. Everyone else in the group felt like the tension could be cut with a spoon. Hoo hoooo.. Tony had to look over at Steve.

Yikes. Tony was pretty glad that he was an only child. Well, in theory he was an only child. Tony was sure he had half-siblings out there somewhere, because his father was known to be a man-whore.

ANYWAY, Tony noticed that Steve was an only child as well. Funny how the only child people and the not-so-only child people intermingled.

Tony’s mind started wandering on that, and he looked over at the status of their flight. No delay so.. yay. He returned his focus to the lovely scene between a brother and sister. They both were full of cheery smiles and an abundance of love.

Yeah right. Donna started jumping Stephen’s shit right away about how he got away with absolutely everything, and Stephen told her that he didn’t care.

She asked him if he told their parents about his “wife”, and the newbie-sorcerer gave her a one word response.

“No.”

TCH. Donna actually became angry with that. Her arms were all crossed up immediately and she didn’t care what the others thought.

“I’m starting to feel sorry for, what’s her name? I don’t even know your secret wife’s name, Stephen.”

Wow. Donna sucked in a deep breath and she rolled her eyes. She really did feel bad for the woman that they all saw. She obviously cared for Stephen, and she even helped him return home.

But, there he was, being the best and brightest son ever imaginable in Nebraska. It actually infuriated Donna. She DID NOT LIKE her brother’s behavior, so she relaxed her forehead against Bucky’s shoulder. 

Stephen listened to her thoughts. He heard how she felt, and acknowledged the fact that she actually did forget her name.

It was always about timing. Stephen studied his sister’s behavior for a moment longer, and he decided to respond to all of her bratty noise. 

“Her name is Clea.”

Stephen secured his book bag over his shoulder. He stopped glaring at his sister, and listened to the announcement that was being made about their flight.

It was time for all of them to board the plane, and head home.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	81. This Is America (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 81: This Is America (Part 1)

* * *

The group separated into three groups when they arrived in New York.

Stephen left with Victor, Donna left with Bucky, and Tony left with Steve. No one was shocked at all when Donna kept walking along with the not-so-winter-soldier.

It just made sense.

Stephen was determined to spendas much time with Victor as possible, so he didn’t comment that much about her change in migration.

Before anyone left, Stephen hugged his sister. He mentioned that he would be needing a favor from her soon. She told him that he could forget it, but Stephen could tell that she was lying. Those two were constantly squabbling with one another, but it kept them on their toes.

They all parted ways, and Tony quietly walked beside Steve. They headed toward a vacant cab, and started heading home. Bucky and Donna could have travelled with them, but the cab would have been crowded.

Nah, the space between them all was better. Tony didn’t want to be crammed up in a taxi with Bucky Wonder anyway. He sat beside Steve, and listened to him converse with the cab driver.

The final stretch to Brooklyn began, and Steve finally felt a little more relaxed. He rest himself against the back seat, and he smiled at Tony. The blonde was ready for home. He wanted to be home so badly, he almost wanted to cry.

Tony caught a sense of that as he looked at his face. Steve’s expression was loveable, and yummy. Tony had to look away, because he wanted to feel him up right there in the taxi.

Nope nope nooooope, Tony refrained. Doing that became harder for him, because he felt that summer boy touch his hand.

Steve wanted to hold it, and Tony’s face brightened immediately. Their fingers slowly knit together, just as the cabbie slammed his foot on the breaks.

The cab screeched to a hasty stop, and Tony thought that he was going to have a heart attack. He actually clutched his chest, as he yelled out. Steve was all protective, and glaring.

The cab driver needed to slow the eff down. Tony swallowed hard, and he glanced over at Steve. Uhhh, a thought crossed both of their minds, and they looked at one another.

“Uhh, we can use a portal.”

“Right, totally forgot.”

Boom. They didn’t need to friggen deal with any crazy cab driver bullshit. Tony and Steve got themselves out of that MESS, and they made it safely to their apartment.

Huyaaaaaaaaa Steve felt so happy to be home. He walked in and looked around as if he hadn’t been there in centuries. He acted like he was going to go hug and kiss the couch, the table, the chairs, the fridge, and every appliance.

Tony chuckled as he watched him look at everything. He set his set of keys in the famous bowl by the door. They shed all the luggage by the door, and then that blonde moved in quick.

He needed to kiss Tony in that apartment. It was a mandatory thing for Steve Rogers to do. That behavior felt ingrained in some sort of muscle memory.

Tony returned that kiss, and he reacted to that very warm embrace. He relaxed against that beefy body, and Tony started feeling the affects of being home. The smell of the apartment became registered, and the direction his body was facing.

It felt very natural, and it was giving Tony’s body a buzz. They held each other tight, until one of them had to look away. Steve was getting too warm, so he had to step back and look out at his apartment again.

Tony kept a small smile, and he rolled his suitcase toward their room.

He had something to bring up with Steve, and he wasn’t sure how long it could wait. The brunette thought it over during their flight.

He tossed his suitcase on the bed, and he slowly unzipped the largest section. Steve brought his stuff into the room as well, and he treated their bedroom the same way.

“I’m going to spend some time with my older self. I’m just unsure when.”

He didn’t want to leave right away. Tony knew that Steve would hate that. Tony hated the thought of leaving as well, but there were some things that he needed to accomplish.

The blonde sat down on the bed, and he asked him why he needed to see his older self. He didn’t listen to Tony’s thoughts. Steve deeply valued communication, so he only used what he learned to sorta shift what he had going with Stephen.

He did not use it with Tony, so he had no idea that he intended to leave. Tony gently kissed the side of Steve’s forehead, and he explained that he planned to work for his father.

Before he did that, he needed to accomplish three things. Tony held up three fingers, so Steve could clearly see that he meant three.

“Are you going to go out on another sandwich date without me?”

Ahaaaaaa... Tony couldn’t resist asking. He fully intended to tease Steve about his secret little love affair with Stephen. The almost-soldier-boy responded with a playful shrug.

He didn’t know what was going to happen whenever Stephen decided to join back in the mix. Steve thought it was best to not think about it, and go with the flow.

They slowly kissed again, and their bodies merged even closer. Tony decided and mentioned that he would leave Steve in the morning, and return to him when his father finalized the job.

Steve agreed, but he confessed that he didn’t like being alone in the apartment. He hated it, actually, and Steve finally decided to let that be known.

He wasn’t saying it to keep Tony from going. Steve would never do that. He understood that Tony needed to do something on his own, and he always tried to be supportive.

He said it because he really really wanted Tony to know that he loved him, and he didn’t want them to be separate for too long.

What he said made Tony’s greedy little heart melt down to his shoes. He promised Steve that he wouldn’t be gone long, and that he’d be safe with his older self.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	82. This Is America (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 82: This Is America (Part 2)

* * *

“Baby” Tony stepped up to a small boxing ring. It was off the floor, so he had to look up at his two instructors.

The older Steve was relaxed against the left side, while the older Tony was standing more toward the center.

He was dressed casually with a pair of slacks, and a slim black shirt. The younger version of Tony noticed that he was very physically fit. It was pretty crazy.

He had a smaller frame than most, but the older Tony looked destructive. He kept thinking about that, until his eyes travelled over to the third person in that boxing ring.

Baby Tony saw a woman. She was speaking to the older Steve, and her voice was very soft. They seemed comfortable with one another, while the older Tony looked like he couldn’t be bothered. What she wore looked very expensive, and her hair was perfectly shaped.

The younger Tony thought that she was beautiful. Stunning was probably the proper word. The woman stepped away from the older Steve, and she slowly made her way out of the ring.

She said goodbye to the older Tony, and she stopped just in front of the young one. Her smile was warm, but it felt like there was something dangerous about her. Tony started looking at her gold jewelry. She adjusted a few bracelets, and that shit looked real.

“See ya around drama boys.”

That was all she said. She acknowledged the younger Tony, but he didn’t get a greeting, or any sort of goodbye. He absolutely had to watch her leave.

“What’s up mini-me?”

OH. Baby Tony gasped quickly, and he snapped back into the room he was in. He stepped even closer to the boxing ring, and he responded to his older self.

“Huuhhmaaa, three things.”

Baby Tony held up three fingers so he was loud and clear. He heard a small laugh out of Steve. He thought “baby” Tony was adorable. The three things intrigued the both of them, so Big Tony started removing his boxing gloves.

He listened to his younger self as the three things were explained. Apparently, the youngling didn’t feel prepared for the upcoming field mission with S.H.I.E.L.D.

They were happy to help him, and they were aware that he received the least amount of training. He was being taught to do other things.

No sweat. The other two objectives were listed off, and the older Tony told him to step up into the ring. He was going to start some physical work with the big guy.

That blonde was ready, and he had a bright smile on his face. Uhhh, Baby Tony smiled back at him, and then he watched his older self attach the gloves to his hand. He started looking at that simple gold ring that was on his hand.

“Who.. who was that woman? The one that was just here?”

His eyes were still locked on that ring. The older Tony glanced up at that inquisitive baby face. Knowing the identity of that woman could throw things out of sync. The older Tony looked at his main man, and he thought it over.

“That was my wife. She was telling me about a social gathering that is coming up.”

Steve decided to answer, and it made the younger Tony almost hit the floor. He was shocked, and immediately confused. Wait. Big Steve was married to... who?

“Huh?? But I... I thought.”

Baby Tony stared at that ring again. His confusion amused the older Steve and Tony tremendously, but they tried not to show it. Someone cleared their throat, as that baby tried to breathe.

He thought that his older self was married to Steve. The two of them never admitted it, but Baby Tony always felt like he was correct. That ring kept moving around, until the older Tony crossed his arms.

It disappeared from his viewpoint, and the youngling started feeling devastated.

“We’re still married, but that ship has sailed. It’s a bit complicated, sorry.”

Steve did his best, but that story and relationship was long in the past. It felt good to see her tho, and he was given information about his son.

Byron Rogers was going to be a parent. Steve didn’t feel like telling the younger Tony any of that information, so he kept it to himself.

Because they linked themselves with the Vishanti, they no longer aged. It was hard for Steve to see his son, but he liked to remain informed. Big Tony felt the same way, but he had let that life go ages ago.

The younger Vishanti babies were not given a choice. They didn’t know that they were being fused with the Vishanti, and now they would outlive everyone that they knew.

What a batch of crap.

Anyway, Baby Tony was still confused. He rubbed the boxing glove over his forehead, and he tried to process what he heard. He kept spinning on the subject, and he kept his focus locked onto his older self.

“But, wait. You told me you were married too, right?”

He pointed at his older self. Those wrinkles needed to be ironed out. Baby Tony could not proceed without knowing what he wanted to know. His question made the older Tony look at his own hand. He stared at that simple gold band, and then he looked over at his main man.

“I told you that I eloped with someone when I was your age. I started living with someone, and it felt like we eloped.”

The memory of that confession began to register in the younglings mind. He wanted to know everything about that, and it made him chew on the right side of his lip.

“And so, you just ...got a ring? Or did you do the whole knee thing? How did that happen?”

How was he married? And with who? Those were the questions that Baby Tony needed answered. 

“I told that person how I felt, and theother person felt the same way. That person gave me a ring.”

It was simple really, and it happened so long ago. The older Tony couldn’t help himself. He had to look over at Steve. His little red corvette started feeling a bit emotional after the small confession, but the curiosity wasn’t squashed.

“But, how did you know to elope? Or I mean, hold on..”

His thoughts were getting all crossed up. Baby Tony was still in shock about the woman being Steve’s wife. That really shook his baby soul, and he was at a loss about who his older self was married to.

He kept looking between the two of them, as he fished for some sort of guidance. How did he know to elope? The older Tony pondered that question..

“I just felt very loved, and wanted. That person made me feel safe, and I just brought it up.”

Before or after rehab? Ahaaaa... the older Tony forgot the small details. He wasn’t sure why his younger self was obsessing over it, but some theories were forming.

“Are you ready to train with me?”

The older Steve stepped up from the side of the ring. He wanted to take Baby Tony’s mind off of the current topic. His voice registered with the baby corvette, and it made Steve smile.

Yes. He was ready, but his nerves were off the charts. Baby Tony brought his gloves up, and he told him that he was good to go.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 

Note: This chapter was a bit of an “Easter egg” or a trip down memory lane for those that have read the entire story. :)


	83. This Is America (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 83: This Is America (Part 3)

* * *

Victor Strange kept hearing a very loud and overextended knock. He was in a small room that was beside the door of the Sanctum Sanctorum, and he was reading.

Victor flipped the book closed, and walked out into the main enterance. He took a moment to look up the giant stairs, and then he returned his attention to the door.

The knocking was persistent, so he hurried toward the door. Victor unlocked it, and it was quickly opened. Someone just burst into the space, and Victor struggled with his words for a second.

“Hello? Do you have an appointment?”

It was an appointment only establishment. Those were the rules. The youngest Strange looked up those stairs again, and the person that walked in looked very annoyed.

“I do not need an appointment.”

“But, we are Mystic Consultants. The title is pending, appointment only.”

Victor was a bit intimidated, but he gave the man the pending business name that he was putting together with his brother. Stephen thought the name was silly, but Victor loved it.

“Mystic Consultants?”

“Yes. That’s what we do here. Do you need help with something?”

Victor Strange was very sweet. He was probably the most polite out of the three siblings. The person that barged into the Sanctum was not in the mood to entertain that.

He ignored the business title, and he started heading up those steep steps. WHOA! Victor jumped to action, and he ran around the man. Victor cut him off, and his temper started picking up.

“You can’t go up there. We guard this space. If you don’t have an appointment, I will make you leave.”

Victor was prepared to retaliate. He didn’t like the attitude that the person presented. Victor didn’t like the guy one bit.

“I need to speak to Stephen Strange. I do not need an appointment.” 

The man kept climbing up the stairs. He seemed to know exactly where Stephen was. That freaked Victor out even more. He hopped up after him, and tried to block him off.

“He is in a meeting. It’s important and he doesn’t-”

ACK!! The guy marched his rude self toward the door. Victor figured that the door was misaligned, so he didn’t think the intruder could get in.

The baby Strange thought wrong, because the man roughly opened the door to Stephen’s loft. He just barged in, and the person that was in a “meeting” with Stephen disappeared.

His appointment completely vanished, and Stephen held a shocked expression. He did not expect that, and his face was a little red.

The older brother gasped very loudly, but he remained in his seat. He had a desk in there, and ....

What the fuck? A person walked into Stephen’s space, and he quickly looked over at his baby brother. Victor started saying that the guy was rude. “Super rude” was the comment that properly described the intruder.

“Mystic Consultants?”

That was the comment that the man made first. Stephen glanced at Victor again, and he brought his shoulders upward.

“Who the hell are you?”

“The Ancient One sent me here to get you on some sort of track. This is not your crash pad.”

The Ancient One.... great. Stephen rolled his eyes, and he looked over at his cloak. It was just floating peacefully, and he processed what was said.

“This is a very sacred building. You will respect it, and I will make sure of that. I will take the room on the first floor.”

And that was that. The man dismissed himself, and he started heading out to get his belongings. Whoa there, Stephen jumped up from his seat. He did not like anything that he heard, so he quickly made his way after the intruder.

Victor just scratched his head. What? Hold up. It was rare to see someone talk that way to Stephen. Victor watched his brother rush to the stairs.

“Right. Crash pad, and who the HELL are you supposed to be?”

“My name is Wong. My father worked for the Ancient One, and now it is my turn. You have three issues to look into, and we will discuss them after I move in.”

SAY WHAT?!! Stephen didn’t want some asshole in his space. That was his job, and he didn’t think there was enough room for two..

His “meeting” was with Clea. She was beside the desk when that jerk barged in. Stephen finally had a moment to talk to her, and actually check in with... 

He missed her. Stephen thought about her all the time. He finally had just a moment... one moment, and now the roof crashed in.

He had a feeling that he was being punished for having her in the Sanctum. The two of them behaved as if the place was their little love nest. Now, she wasn’t able to be present for half a second.

Stephen almost asked about that, but the guy left the building. The newbie-sorcerer inhaled a deep breath, and he looked over at his brother.

Victor apologized. He felt bad for being unable to stop the guy, but Stephen told him it wasn’t his fault. The two “Mystic Consultants” had their hands full for the rest of the evening, because Wong returned, and he told them to help him move in.

Stephen refused, of course, and it didn’t go over so well. Wong informed him that he could actually kick rocks and leave. The Sanctum belonged to the Mystic Arts, and he also told Stephen that he could be removed.

Wonderful. Fantastic. Stephen begrudgingly helped move that person’s BULLSHIT into his space. Victor helped, and he tried not to laugh at his big bro.

He was always amused when someone challenged Stephen. Donna was good at it, but Mr. Wong was next level.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	84. This Is America (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 84: This Is America (Part 4)

* * *

  
One of the three “issues” that Stephen was forced to hear about had to do with an organization called S.H.I.E.L.D.

Stephen recalled the recruitment pitch that he received from Howard Stark. Ultimately, the father was informing him that he had a part to play in protecting Tony.

Stephen contemplated that part of the bargain. He was very willing and determined to protect Tony from any harm, and he was being informed that the next mission was going to be Tony’s field work debut.

That made Stephen pretty nervous, because he wasn’t sure what to expect. “Field work” meant, what exactly?

That asshat named Wong informed Stephen that his presence was personally requested for the next mission that S.H.I.E.L.D. had planned. Stephen was told to go, and professionally represent the Mystic Arts.

He agreed to look into it, and told Wong to “personally” eat shit. Stephen didn’t need his noise. He was in the process of getting himself settled in the Sanctum, but he also decided to attend medical school.

He was also trying to give Victor attention. His brother was a bit blue after Nebraska. With Donna shacking up with Bucky, his mood was still about the same.

That’s why Stephen hadn’t been able to properly communicate with Clea. He broke up his time in a million different directions, and it had been over a week since Nebraska. He was losing track of time, and finally couldn’t take it anymore.

Stephen asked Clea to come over, and that’s when Wong burst in and ruined his life.

It was aggravating, but Stephen was planning another attempt to talk to her. He liked to physically be in the same location when he saw her. Stephen didn’t want to phone it in, because he also intended to bring up their marriage.

He was actually very nervous about doing that. Stephen was a confident person, but the thought of being rejected always seemed to nip at his chest, from time to time.

“Stephen Strange? Can you hear me?”

A voice registered in his head. That voice belonged to Nick Fury. He was the person in charge of the mission. Howard requested Stephen’s presence, and the Sorcerer Supreme was in their space.

Fury was speaking to him, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Clea.

“I’m sorry, why am I here again?”

That was the original question. Stephen asked it again, and he heard Fury re-explain the situation.

“We are hunting a “White Jackal”. It’s a code name for something or someone hacking into our technology.”

Fury was describing an info heist, of sorts, and he was afraid it would balloon out, and compromise a ton of tech. They only received a message, but no one knew what it meant. It was encrypted and concealed in their system.

“That sounds like a job for your IT department..”

“True, but Howard believes you will be able to pick up what’s really going on. Just be present on the field today, and observe. That’s all we need.”

Stephen’s eyebrow immediately arched upward. He clearly wasn’t following. Fury gave a soft sigh, and he tried the explanation again. Stephen was very intelligent, but he still didn’t understand why his presence was needed.

“This “White Jackal” is somehow present every time we make a move against H.Y.D.R.A. Maybe you can figure out how. It’s hacking our tech, yet also hacking us in the field. Phantom-like.”

Do you get me? Fury didn’t want to explain it again. He started saying that he already had Bucky Barnes, and Steve Rogers out in the field. Hearing that sparked an interest in Stephen.

“They are out there now?”

“Yes. They are rooting out a H.Y.D.R.A. nest. We keep finding pockets of people. It’s a recruitment nest, I guess.. every nest is different.

That eyebrow remained perfectly arched. Stephen was immediately reminded of the nests in the Dark Dimension. He cleared out a ton of them with Clea and Agamotto.

He wondered if it was a parallel. Stephen‘s interest was growing. Fury watched him cross his arms, and the agent’s attention moved to that cloak.

Stephen gave the situation a bit more thought, but then he decided to join the fold. A thought about joining his friends crossed his mind, but he let it go.

“Take me to one of those, nests. I will look into it.”

The Sorcerer Supreme was going jackal hunting. Fury gave a small nod, and he immediately started touching his ear. He motioned for Stephen to walk with him, as he spoke out loud. Fury informed the group that Stephen Strange was joining in to observe.

That update made Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers stop in their tracks. Steve was digging his way through the center of the nest, while Bucky was stationed on a rooftop. His eye was next to the scope of a very powerful weapon.

Fury also informed the group that they were bringing Stephen in immediately. They needed all eyes locked on him as he did his observing. That was Bucky’s cue.

He never expected to look through the scope of his rifle and watch Stephen Strange exit a quintet, but Bucky was doing exactly that.

Stephen stepped onto the scene, and Bucky adjusted the scope. That cloak was draped behind the wise “wizard”, as he walked right out in the middle of a zone that they recently cleared.

What a small world.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	85. This Is America (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 85:  This Is America (Part 5)

* * *

Stephen could feel a presence right off the bat. He walked through the war zone that had been picked clean, but it still felt like something was there.

The sorcerer started walking toward the area where he felt the presence of Steve. He closed his eyes, and he started expanding what his mind could reach. Stephen started hearing people running. He heard people yelling, guns being shot, and the sound of human beings fighting one another.

That’s where Steve fit into the mix. The almost-soldier was currently trying to pin down two H.Y.D.R.A. operatives, and Bucky picked off any that were trying to escape.

He wasn’t the only sniper up in the taller buildings. The others were close by, and Bucky held his position. He continued watching Stephen look around. Fury’s voice appeared on the communication line, and he asked for an update.

“He’s just staring at the ground.”

That update wasn’t exactly a highlight, but Bucky had no real idea about what Stephen was doing. Fury just told him to keep him in his sights, then his voice disappeared.

Stephen was looking down at a discarded piece of H.Y.D.R.A. tech. He was re-imagining the scene, and beginning to understand why the area looked like such a barren wasteland. The buildings looked partially demolished, and the weaponry he looked at seemed to be dissolving.

Stephen crouched downward, and he gently touched the discarded H.Y.D.R.A. material. It disintegrated beneath his fingers, but an image came to his mind.

Stephen stood up quickly, because that image was of a person. The cause had a source, and when he touched the material, Stephen could briefly see the maker.

He wondered if it was the “White Jackal”, so he continued to look for more discarded material. He decided to take a wild guess, and begin speaking to the actual enemy that was thousands of miles away.

“Fury, your Jackal is male. He is young, early twenties I’d say, and listening to everything that you say.”

Stephen was given an earpiece when he boarded the quinjet, and he decided to use it to communicate with their little friend.

What he said caused an unseen stir. That “Jackal” was listening, and he was pulling the strings behind the scenes. In that moment, he felt comprised so he started making a few counter moves.

The H.Y.D.R.A. agents and recruits that were surrounding Steve stopped moving. Steve caught his breath, and he watched them all stare at him. They looked like zombies... and none of them moved.

“Guys, I’ve got some weird activity going on in the last building. Can you see?”

Steve knew that they had eyes on him. Parts of his crew looked into what he was saying. Stephen could see it where he stood, and he decided to comment.

“Steve, I think H.Y.D.R.A. is testing someone’s fancy technology, and the people in front of you are not really there.”

Hearing that made the source react immediately. He was listening in, and watching, and he instantly wanted Stephen dead. The priority of his counter moves changed to a new target.

He had every H.Y.D.R.A. operative left on that field focus on the person that almost identified him. Then, he started running an extensive search on Stephen’s image. The White Jackal had his name and face, and that was all he needed.

The young man had several screens working relentlessly in front of him, and he told a few other agents to become engaged. Stephen was still trying to trace his way toward the source, and a glimpse of his image entered his mind again.

“He has light brown hair. Handwritten notes beside his right screen. Terrible handwriting.” 

Stephen kept digging. He wanted to know what was stationed around the White Jackal, while those zombie-like operatives came back to life. They all moved in unison, and Steve immediately tried to stop two of them from heading toward Stephen.

Steve was being dragged for just a moment, and then the strength in his arms took over. He yanked thoseH.Y.D.R.A. soldiers back toward him, and told the others that company was coming.

They all started swarming toward Stephen, as Bucky brought his focus out toward the entire field. Stephen was nonchalantly picking up stuff off the ground, and he didn’t pay any attention to the berserk wasp nest that was heading straight for him.

He figured the others would take care of that noise. That was their job in the game, so he continued doing his thing. 

Bucky took in the entire group, then he set his sights on one operative that he hadn’t seen before. He saw one H.Y.D.R.A. goon walking on his own two feet. Meaning, that the person in his scope seemed to have a mind of his own. 

That individual was walking straight toward Stephen, and it started building up a tension in Bucky’s chest. He centered his scope on his target, and kept glancing out at Stephen. 

The person had a metal arm, and Bucky started realizing who it was. Howard always told him that he might encounter his other self somewhere out in the field.

The not-so-winter soldier understood that he had the real one in his scope, and he didn’t ask anyone if he should take the shot. 

Stephen’s life was in danger in that moment, and Bucky didn’t really like to gamble. He didn’t hesitate because he thought about Donna possibly losing her older brother. 

That could not happen on his watch, so Bucky immediately took action and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	86. This Is America (Part 6)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 86: This Is America (Part 6)

* * *

A splash of blood quickly hit the side of Stephen’s face, and he immediately dropped what was in his hand. The reality of the situation kicked in for the newbie-sorcerer, and he looked over at the person that was shot.

The Winter Soldier took a hit, but he turned around quickly, and started firing his weapon at Bucky. Stephen sucked in a deep breath, and he watched the Bucky that he knew head for cover.

He revealed himself for that shot, and now the enemy was after him as well. Stephen dropped that “White Jackal” hunt immediately, and he floated upward. He brought himself up and away from the other version of Bucky.

The sorcerer also took a moment to touch his face, and he felt all the blood that splattered onto his skin. He realized that he was in the middle of some serious shit, and all the zombie-like H.Y.D.R.A. troops began to form on the ground beneath him.

Steve was plowing his way through them. He was not using his shield, and he caught a glimpse of Bucky heading for cover. It was getting very crazy and loud.

Steve saw the Winter Soldier. That version of Bucky was heading for the person that shot him, and the almost-soldier made a calculated choice.

First, he looked up at Stephen and quickly noticed that he was doing something to the H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers. He was holding them in place, so Steve changed his focus to Bucky.

He decided to head for him, and cut off the Winter Soldier before he could reach his friend. Steve ran like a bat out of hell, and he slid in front of his opponent.

Nick Fury was telling them all to regroup. He said that he had a bad feeling, and the man decided that they had gathered enough information. He wanted them all to get out of there, and what he said was being listened to by two outside sources.

The first outside source was the “White Jackal” and the second was being escorted toward the scene by Howard Stark.

Howard was briefing Tony about the mission, when all hell broke loose. The two of them were closing in, and Tony started listening to everything that Fury was saying.

He hacked the line, just like the Jackal. Tony was sitting in his father’s aircraft, and listening to all the crazy shit that was going on down below. 

For Steve, and everyone else that existed in Earth Dimension 3000-21, Tony was gone for a week. That timeframe was different for Tony when he left the dimension. He actually accomplished all of his three things in six months.

He concluded his training, created a new suit, and finished that silly album that he had been working on. Now he was with his father, and ready to try out his shiny new suit. 

“I love you dad.”

Tony felt the deep need to say those words. Howard heard him, and he looked back from the controls. Tony stood up in that red and gold suit, and he stood by the door of the aircraft.

“I love you too Tony. Be careful down there, ok?”

He did not want his son getting hurt, but he was hellbent on going down there. Tony just pressed the button that opened up the hatch, and he looked down at the sky below him.

He gave his father a slow nod, and then he decided to patch into Fury’s comm link.

“Attention all wonderful S.H.I.E.L.D. employees. My name is Tony Stark. I will draw in the enemy fire, and give you the time that you need to regroup.”

That red suit shot out of the aircraft, and he started flying down toward all the others. Tony burst through the sky, and he didn’t wait for anyone to respond. 

He just went straight for the center of the pack, and crashed the party. Tony dropped down upon the H.Y.D.R.A. soldiers that were swarming beneath Stephen, and a bright flash of light filled up the space.

Stephen had to shield his eyes, because the energy Tony used was very intense. It pushed the pack of rats back for just a moment, and then they started going for him. Stephen took Tony’s lead when his eyes recovered, and he started attacking the soldiers on the ground.

Bucky was climbing his way down the side of a building. He heard Tony, and saw him draw the enemy toward him. That stopped the assault on him, and he was able to breeze his way down to the ground level.

He could see that Steve had his hands full. Bucky successfully shot the Winter Soldier, but it only seemed to make him angry. He seemed very angry, and determined to kick the shit out of anyone in front of him.

Steve kept looking over in Tony’s direction, of course, so Bucky thought that the lovebird would need his help. Bucky checked his surroundings and he started running toward his friend. 

The White Jackal took in every situation. He watched Stephen and Tony take down the bulk of his pawns. Then, he watched Steve and Bucky continue the brawl with his knight. 

His enemy had too many strong players in the game, so he thought over a few counter moves. The Jackal stood in front of all his screens, and absently looked back at that beautiful red and gold suit. 

Tony Stark had become an obsession of his, so he kept watching the suit move about on his screen. It wasn’t translucent like the one that sparked a change in his fascination. The Jackal held a very violent thought, as he pressed a few buttons on his keypad.

He thought there was nothing flashier than a Stark, and he needed to know absolutely everything about that suit. 

The Jackal continued to watch and he felt very drawn in. He was captivated instantly, and lured out toward the flame.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	87. This Is America (Part 7)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 87: This Is America (Part 7)

* * *

  
Stephen’s assumptions about the H.Y.D.R.A. troops were correct. They appeared to be empty shells, and something kept happening to the tech. It all dissolved, and only remnants of the material was left on the ground.

Tony and Stephen had run out of the mindless H.Y.D.R.A. troops to attack, so they turned their focus toward Steve and Bucky. Those two were in the process of bringing down the Winter Soldier, and they welcomed any assistance.

Stephen prevented the other version of Bucky from moving, and he let the friends catch their breath. Tony noticed several cuts and marks on Steve’s face, and he immediately thought that the blonde was mauled by an animal. Steve slowly looked over at Tony’s new suit.

Normally he could see Tony within it, but now he was completely concealed. Steve wanted to see him, and it became pretty obvious.

Tony watched Steve turn a bit more in his direction, and it made him draw his lip beneath his teeth. That Captain America uniform friggen did something to his soul..

Tony’s internal temperature in that suit had to be kicking up, because that blonde looked smokin hot.

“Fury? We have one H.Y.D.R.A. operative in our possession. I’m unsure if the area is secure.”

Steve started talking to the people in charge, and Tony snapped out of his thirst for Steve. It had been six months for him, sooo....

Tony immediately turned away from his crew, and he stepped over toward the tech that had been left behind. He crouched down, and had his tech inspect the remnants beside his feet.

Bucky couldn’t stop staring at the version of himself that was supposed to be in that dimension. That other person looked dark, and vicious. Fury told them all that the quinjet was returning, and he wanted them all to leave the zone.

Stephen didn’t ease his hold on the other Bucky. He actually strengthened it, and asked Tony for any information about the discarded tech.

Tony gathered what he could, and he stood up. He stepped further away from the pack, and he inspected the ground for more debris.

In that moment, something very quiet and bleach white cut through the sky. It collided into Tony’s suit, and immediately started clawing at him, and trying to pry Tony out from within.

It was violent, and trying to rip away any piece of that suit. Tony’s companions didn’t see any of that coming. They all reacted in their own ways, but Steve grabbed that shield off his back, and he instantly hurled it toward that white suit.

It cracked hard against its back. Steve was on that thing faster than anyone could blink. Tony was screaming in his suit, and trying to get himself out of the situation. He was trying to process what was happening, but the assault on his suit was over very quickly.

Steve overpowered Tony’s attacker, and he pulled him back toward his chest. Tony watched Steve hold onto the white suit, and he started crushing the technology with his strength.

It started cracking open. Tony watched the white shell break against Steve’s arms. That blonde looked so angry. Tony had never seen Steve look that upset.

He broke the faceplate off of Tony’s attacker, and the young man that Stephen saw in front of a computer was revealed. It made Tony wig out a little, because the person looked very young.

He looked a little familiar, but Tony couldn’t place who it was. Steve wanted to kill him. His hold on him, and the depth of his strength continued to increase. He actually had that person in a choke hold, and Tony brought his hand up to intervene.

Tony asked his attacker to identify himself, just as the quinjet landed beside the group. Steve increased the pressure on that body, and Tony told him that he needed to stop.

He yelled at Steve, and told him that he needed to know who was in that suit. The suit was clearly a replica of his, and he explained that he couldn’t get any answers about it from a dead person.

Steve didn’t necessarily agree with Tony’s logic. He refused to unlock his grip, and that angry expression remained on his face.

The young man was trying to squirm his way out of Steve’s arms, and the soldier absolutely would not cut him any slack.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	88. This Is America (Part 8)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 88: This Is America (Part 8)

* * *

The quinjet was packed. They had two people detained, and heavily secured in the aircraft. They were on opposite sides, and under a constant watch. Stephen even set up an extra barrier for their cargo. He made sure that they couldn’t get free.

He was speaking to Nick Fury. The sorcerer wanted to take pieces of that white suit back to the Sanctum, and figure out who the White Jackal actually was.

Stephen determined that they were looking right at him, but his identity was a mystery. The young man in the suit didn’t respond to Tony, but he kept looking at him. There seemed to be an intense conflict about Tony in that person’s mind.

His presence was keeping Steve in an angry state. Bucky noticed that, but he didn’t comment at all.

The blonde sat alone, and he kept his attention focused on his shield. Steve did not say a single word when they all boarded the quinjet. Bucky kept looking over at him.

He had a feeling that Steve and Tony were going to get into an argument. The friend made that assumption, because Steve clearly had something to say.

Tony was still in his new suit, and he slowly paced about in front of the Jackal. His older self didn’t give him all the answers about his life, but he was sure that the one in white was a person that he had encountered before.

“You obviously know me, copycat. And that is a rip-off design of my suit.”

Tony pointed at what was left of that white armor. He was trying to get a rise out of the person that was listening. Tony kept looking at his face. His features were too familiar, and it was annoying Tony.

The young man looked out at the crew. He decided to put himself out in the open, and see Tony’s armor up close. He thought that it was magnificent, but the violent thoughts kept rising up.

“I have been watching you for as long as I can remember.”

He decided to speak. Tony heard what he said, and feeling uncomfortable was his immediate reaction. Tony hated being monitored, or being friggen spied on.

His arms were crossed, and he tensed up beneath his suit. Tony looked over at his three companions, and then he returned his focus toward that “Jackal”.

“Why?”

Why the fuck was some Jackal poser person watching him for centuries. Tony didn’t get it, and it made him even more annoyed. He saw the young man smile, but then his mood shifted. He started looking angry, or deranged.

Tony started thinking he was unbalanced, or psychotic.

“I lost track of you several times. I didn’t show anyone what I found. They didn’t know that I found you. I didn’t share it.”

He sounded like a total whacko. Tony kinda cringed beneath his suit as he listened to him babble on about “finding him”. The uncomfortable feeling was getting pretty thick.

Tony quickly looked over at Steve. The blonde was obviously listening. Tony could tell, so he dared another question. 

“Why have you been watching me? What the hell are you talking about?”

He didn’t share what?? With who?? Tony thought the guy was really weird. He couldn’t step any closer to him, because Stephen’s barrier kept them all at a distance.

Tony just wanted to see a bit more of his face. His hair was hiding a good portion of it, and it was seriously bothering Tony.

“Hello? What the hell did you find??”

Tony was losing his patience. No one else was stepping up to interrogate the creep, and Tony wanted answers. The “White Jackal” looked up, and he showed his entire face to Tony. He decided to confess, and absently stare at the details of that suit. 

He thought about what he could have shared. Those angry looking expressions changed to something softer. The Jackal remembered several details as he spoke.

“Your life, in Brooklyn. I kept it all to myself. I told them that I couldn’t find you anywhere. I won’t share a thing..”

He found Tony in Brooklyn, and he watched him everyday. The conflict in the Jackal ran very deep. Tony’s eyes became very wide. Uhm, what the fuck did that mean? An uneasy feeling washed all over Tony’s skin.

His heart started pumping at an accelerated rate, and he kept glancing over at Steve.... UHH, what?? Hold on. Come again??

“You won’t share, what? What the ..”

Tony was at a total loss for words. Speechless. No one else said anything, and the brunette was inwardly freaking out. Nick Fury said some crap about the White Jackal being taken to some sort of penitentiary.

Tony kept staring at him. He seriously couldn’t comprehend whatever else was being said. What wasn’t being shared?? It was getting hard for Tony to breathe. He cast open his protective suit, and his body was revealed in that ship.

That Jackal freak kept staring at him, even as he was being dragged out of the ship. He was taken out by S.H.I.E.L.D. people, and Tony was processing the heart attack that he was currently having.

He questioned everything that he heard. The brunette stood in his thoughts, and tried to comprehend what he possibly meant. He was watching him, in Brooklyn?

So, that meant his apartment with Steve was ...bugged? And something could be.... shared? Tony’s body temperature hit maximum capacity. He really started freaking out in his head. The brunette blinked around fifty times, and he finally snapped out of his coma.

The cargo was gone, and so was the team. Bucky, Stephen, and Fury took the Winter Soldier, and that poser freak out of the quinjet. Tony thought that he was left alone. He turned his head and looked upon the one person that didn’t leave.

Steve was still sitting in the aircraft. He was staring at his shield, and processing what he heard as well. Tony swallowed his stomach. It took him three attempts to properly swallow a breath down his throat.

He was frozen. Horrified. Mortified. Traumatized to the max. Tony watched that blonde stand up, and turn in his direction.

Steve looked angry. The expression on his face was very new. Tony thought that he looked strong, powerful, and deadly.

It intimidated him, but he had to take a forward step. Tony wasn’t going to ever back away from Steve, or dodge a conversation between them.

He looked out the open hatch for just a moment, and waited for that blonde to say something to him.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	89. This Is America (Part 9)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 89: This Is America (Part 9)

* * *

“I don’t want you out there.”

Steve finally spoke to him, but his voice was different. It was still warm, but Tony felt a stern presence somewhere within the words.

He wondered if it was Captain America talking, instead of Steve. Did he have a different persona when he worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. ? The question immediately hit Tony’s mind, so he recalibrated his steps.

“That’s.... that isn’t your decision to make. You can’t control that, I want to help.”

“Yes I can, and I will. I do not want you out there.”

Steve could control Tony’s presence in the field. He was bound and determined to control that situation immediately. Tony felt insulted, and he started shrinking back. Steve was huge compared to him, and his voice felt even larger.

Steve wasn’t raising his voice at all, but the soldier’s words weighed heavy. Tony wanted to be out on the field. He wanted to protect people, and fight with everyone else.

His older self did whatever the hell he wanted, and Baby Tony planned to behave the same exact way.

“You can’t control what I DO. What do you want me to do? Stay in some lab like a rat, or work from home? I’m being spied on there as well, so..”

“You can consult with us on different missions, like Stephen, and join us if you are needed. But that is it Tony.”

End of discussion. Steve was not going to entertain another thought. He did not like what happened on that field, and the soldier knew that there would be more to come.

Tony looked hurt, conflicted, and torn down. He kept staring up at that person in front of him, and his anger set in. Tony felt like he was being friggen scolded, and his immediate instinct was to rebel.

“Fuck that. Some whacko jacko isn’t going to keep me as some... consultant. I’m gonna do what I need to do, so you can just forget what you’re saying to me.”

You do you, and let that be that. Tony passed his opinion over for Steve to ponder, but the soldier wasn’t giving any thought to what Tony expressed. He already expected him to be against what he said, and Steve didn’t care.

He started looking at Tony’s body. He wasn’t in his suit any longer, and Steve noticed what had changed. Tony was gone a week for Steve, but the soldier figured out that he had to have been gone for an extended time.

His body had bulked up. He built a new suit, and his attitude reflected the time that he spent with his older self. Steve didn’t respond with any words. He stepped toward Tony, and pulled that body in close.

He started kissing the person that he lived with. If someone was watching them in that apartment, then they witnessed an intimacy that Steve didn’t want to lose.

They were a very passionate couple. Steve couldn’t get enough of Tony, and the person watching must have seen them hook up all the time. He finally gave the White Jackal a moment of his time.

Steve didn’t like how he looked at Tony. He wanted to break his face. The soldier kept watching how the White Jackal behaved, and an understanding about him was made.

He wanted Tony on some obsessive level. It sparked something within Steve, so a possessive and protective nature started showing its face. Tony tried to keep up with that kiss. Steve was all over him. He had him against the wall in the quinjet, and it was getting hard for Tony to breathe in that aircraft.

Steve needed to touch Tony’s skin. Well, he needed much more than that, so he pried one of his gloves off and roughly pulled him close. His advance was rougher than normal, so Tony just gasped out. He was surprised with Steve, and immediately looked over toward the open hatch. 

Steve was in a zone, and Tony knew that it would need to pass through his system. The serum was clearly kicking in, and he could feel that body getting all bulked up. Tony lost it when he felt that hand on his skin. He started melting against him, like butter. 

That .... the soldier obviously knew exactly where to touch Tony, and how to move him. Steve knew every single thing about his body, and Tony started feeling a little dizzy. That blonde was all pressed up against him, and he didn’t give a fuck about any S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel out there.

Luckily, Steve’s coworkers were mostly inside the building, because something had to be done with the Winter Soldier and the White Jackal.

Steve’s body won the battle, because making Tony his right in that moment was the only thought that crossed his mind.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	90. This Is America (Part 10)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 90: This Is America (Part 10)

* * *

Ezekiel Stane. Nineteen years old and incredibly fucked up from an entire life of exploitation. Stephen was turning back the clock, and looking into that person’s daily life.

It was tragic, and it made Stephen want to hug his brother close. Ezekiel was a master-hacker, and had no real trace of an identity.

He watched Tony constantly. They technically grew up in sync. His father used him to gather intelligence, and he was exposed to trauma all his life.

Ezekiel helped his father traffic weapons, drugs, and human beings. That young man was responsible for the mass exportation of chemical weaponry before he was twelve years old. He did all of that with ease, as he kept tabs on Tony’s wonderful life.

It was twisted, and Stephen started feeling ill. He was in the holding room where Ezekiel was being detained, but his mind was looking around his workspace.

Stephen stared at his computer, and he read the handwritten notes beside his screen. It all related to Tony, and the enormous empire that he inherited from his father.

Zeke, Z, Zeta, Zero, and White Jackal were just a few of the names that Ezekiel used to make his mark across the dark web. Stephen continued to watch how he worked, and it technically let him infiltrate the Black Market.

The Black Market was the “Dark Dimension” of Earth. It was unsettling for Stephen to unpack. He watched Ezekiel turn away from his responsibilities, and tune into Tony’s perfect little life.

He watched him do simple things, like laundry, or organizing...but his relationship with Steve was what Ezekiel watched the most. It became too much for Stephen to stomach, so he returned to the room, and he started looking at everyone in it.

“I have his identity, Fury. I will talk to you about it privately.”

He didn’t want to involve too many people. Stephen glanced over at Ezekiel, and the uneasy feeling began to deepen. The next order of business was with the Winter Soldier.

Stephen mentally prepared himself for another broken individual, and he walked over toward the other holding unit.

He stood beside the Bucky that he knew, and they both stared at the damaged goods. The two of them looked upon Bucky in a very corrupted state.

One hesitation would lead to a knife in the chest, or a bullet in the face. It was intense, and hard to take in.

“Thank you, for taking the shot.”

“You’re welcome.”

Bucky shrugged, while Stephen stood firm. He looked at the not-so-winter-soldier, and he tried to shine some light in the room.

“I need that favor from Donna, so I’m going to send someone to your apartment tomorrow. Just go with it, ok?”

Stephen assumed that Bucky was up to speed. He was always around, and he heard Stephen tell Donna about the favor in the future. Bucky said that was fine, and Stephen checked himself back into the task at hand. 

He studied the situation with the broken version of Bucky, and looked for ways to unpack that mess. Stephen did all of that while Steve and Tony were in the quinjet.

Steve had to have Tony in that moment, because the thought of losing him felt too great. It was intense, forceful, and very consuming. Tony gave into that blonde, and he struggled to breath beneath him. 

It was hard for Tony, because he was upset with Steve. He had some things that he wanted to say to him, and admit feelings that arose while he was gone.

He didn’t like the older Steve being married to someone else. Knowing that bothered Tony right away. His mind was also changing about Stephen, but now they were in some shit. 

Tony couldn’t say any of it, and he felt overpowered. He was burning up, and struggling to move on the floor of the quinjet. Steve moved just fine, and told Tony that he loved him too much. 

Steve admitted it against that skin, and it scared him to death. The thought of losing Tony was causing him to lose it, and he started seeing him as some fragile thing.

The White Jackal really kicked the roof in for Steve. Their home was invaded, and their life felt exposed. It sparked a fire that Steve was very afraid of, because he wanted that Jackal dead.

The soldier hoped his dark thoughts would pass, because Tony was his.  


The encounter in the quinjet was overwhelming for the both of them, and a turning point for their relationship.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. Can you believe we have 13 more? 


	91. Sister (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 91: Sister (Part 1)

* * *

Tony needed a jumbo cheeseburger in his greedy little hands, pronto. Pronto meant quickly, because he didn’t plan on going back around the S.H.I.E.L.D. slumber party after what he did in the quinjet.

Well, it was mainly Steve getting his fix, so Tony needed to have his fatty cheeseburger. Fair was fair, but they both were very quiet as they journeyed home.

The wonderful Stephen Strange joined them, because he said that he had something to tell them. He was watching the behavior of his two friends, and noticing that they were dodging any possible discussion.

Tony and Steve were clearly in an odd place, so Stephen tried to ease their situation. They all ventured into that apartment, but for the happy couple, nothing felt the same.

They both felt violated, and they kept looking around the ceiling and walls. Tony mentioned that he needed to lay down, so he took his cheeseburgers and ditched the fraternal twins.

Steve just sat down at their adorable dinner table, and he covered his hands with his eyes. He was a mess, but dressed in his perfectly pressed, normal clothing.

Stephen watched Tony disappear into the back bedroom, and then he focused on the sulking blonde.

“I looked into what the Jackal was watching. I turned it all off where he works, and I will get rid of everything here.”

“But HOW did it get in here? What did he see? That is so...”

Steve tightened the grip on his own face. He was devastated, and upset with himself about a few things. Steve was not ok with his own behavior, and he regretted what he did in the quinjet.

Stephen was debating something. He thought about sprinkling some sunshine on the answers to those questions, but there was nothing pleasant about what he knew.

“The Jackal manipulates technology in a measurement of microns.”

Steve gave out a very slow sigh, and he roughly dropped his hands down toward the table. He held a blank stare, and waited for Stephen to speak English.

“He literally manipulates germs. Germ warfare Steve. His tech probably flew in here through an open window.”

Steve sighed again, and he covered up that face. He was not happy with that news, because he thought that only Tony was capable of manipulating that sort of technology.

“So, I can assume that he saw a lot of interesting stuff going on in here.”

“Uhh, yeah. Pretty much.”

He saw everything, at anytime, and at any angle. Stephen decided not to divulge that part of his response, and he got to work. Steve couldn’t handle that news. He breathed out into his hands, and thought about Tony’s need for safety and freedom.

He did his best to make that apartment feel safe for him, but it felt like everything had fallen apart. He kept his eyes covered, and he tried to hold himself together.

“The good news is, he’s been taken into Fury’s custody. The White Jackal really doesn’t have a concept of a normal life. The information and documentation that he has will be very useful.”

He could be converted, brought to some sort of light. Stephen decided to toss that thought out into the open, and see how Steve reacted. That notion just made the soldier angrier. It sounded like an excuse for his behavior, and Steve wasn’t a fan of what he heard.

“You keep referring to him as the White Jackal. What is his real name?”

Steve wanted to know everything about him, and he wanted to keep him locked away. Stephen was surprised with the thoughts he heard, but he decided to be unattached to the actual situation.

“I am calling him the White Jackal because the information that he has is very useful. His identity can’t be compromised. He has some requests to exchange for his treasure chest of information. But, Fury won’t entertain that for a long time.”

No way. Stephen didn’t expect those terms to be granted anytime soon. Steve’s interest in the conversation was growing, but he glanced over at the bedroom door.

He had a few things to say to Tony, but he thought it was best to give him some space.

“What requests could he possibly have?”

Like he was in any position to make requests. That really made the soldier’s blood boil. Stephen’s eyebrows were pulled up very high as he cleared everything out of the left side of the apartment.

Steve’s behavior amused him, but the situation didn’t call for it. The sorcerer knew the answer to that question would send Steve’s anger through the roof.

He thought that it was better to hear it now, rather than from Nick Fury later. The leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. was not sentimental about the situation. He preferred the gathering of information over anyone’s pride or comfort.

“He wants to speak with Tony twice a month, then he will tell Fury everything that he wants to know.”

Stephen decided to let Steve have the truth, and he saw that blonde immediately tense up. Steve said the words, NO. FUCKING. WAY. against his hands, and it felt like the whole table shook.

Tony was listening to everything. He unpacked his cheeseburger, and listened to the two of them have a little chat. He wasn’t surprised by Steve’s reaction at all. He already felt Steve’s reaction in the quinjet, and his body felt a little sore.

Tony didn’t mind when it was rough, but there were things being confessed and not confessed that had him triple thinking.

He chewed on some salty french fries and listened to Stephen talk about leaving to do something, and then staying over. He explained that he wasn’t “staying over” staying over, like they all did in Nebraska.

He just wanted to ... stay over, and that was it. Tony playfully rolled his eyes at Stephen’s stupidity, and he dug his hand into the container of french fries.

Steve said that was fine with him. He even said that he liked having Stephen around, and Tony accidentally dropped a few fries out of his mouth.

His greedy heart started inflating. It was filling up like a hot air balloon as he listened in. Stephen said that he’d clear out the rest of the apartment, then come back later. The way they spoke to one another made Tony glance over at the bedroom door.

His mind was changing about everything, but he couldn’t bring it up. Tony almost choked on the stupid french fry. He had to sit up and cough that shit out of his soul.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	92. Sister (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 92: Sister (Part 2)

* * *

Donna Strange caught a glimpse of her older brother as she approached Bucky’s apartment. She was walking with Bucky, and they both saw him head down the street.

He looked like he was deep in thought, so Donna didn’t call out to him. She looked at Bucky instead. He was just telling her about the “favor” thing that Stephen kept bringing up.

She wanted to know what the bloody favor was, but he was always out and about. Stephen also walked too fast and he was already a million miles away.

The sister sighed, and she just marched onward toward the elevator. Bucky disregarded the whole thing, because he thought they all had a few screws loose. 

Good people tho. 

Stephen didn’t notice them at all. He kept heading toward the Sanctum, because he had a specific plan that he wanted to follow. He decided to walk, because he needed to think.

Stephen was dressed in his normal clothing, and contemplating a bit of his future. He planned to ask Clea to marry him in his dimension. He debated the level of “traditional” ...

Stephen didn’t have any sort of ring to give her, but that sort of thing made him nervous. He knew that his mother and sister would expect it....

His father would also expect it, and wonder why they weren’t there. Stephen gave that internal debate a few more seconds, and then he dropped the thought completely.

Giving a ring to Clea didn’t feel..

Ok, it possibly felt right? 

Maybe? Stephen brought his shoulders upward, and he unlocked the door to the Sanctum. He walked in and immediately heard a familiar noise. Victor’s video games were blasting through the first floor, and the sorcerer followed the trail of sounds.

He stopped at a door,and he looked into one of the rooms. Stephen saw that “kooky” looking bird lamp that Victor wanted for his room, and he noticed a few more of his things from the apartment.

Wong and Victor were playing Doom. Stephen actually smiled, until he was noticed.

“You only completed one item on the list.”

Wong was on his shit immediately, and Stephen rolled his eyes. He couldn’t hear half of what Wong said, because he deliberately ignored him.

Victor greeted him. He mentioned that Donna moved out of the apartment, and she had a message for him.

“She said you could have it back, but she’s not moving your stuff back in.”

“Wonderful. That’s very sweet.”

He was actually planning on taking his apartment back, and shoving all of her SHIT into storage. She officially shacked up with Bucky Barnes, so Stephen dodged that bullet.

“Are you planning on living here now? You brought your lamp.”

Stephen pointed at that odd looking thing, and Victor held a giant smile. He said that Wong gave him permission to stay at the Sanctum. Victor said it was closer to his bus stop, so he would be able to spend most of his time at the x-mansion.

“Wong said that I can train here. He thinks I’ll be better at Mystic Consulting, because you get distracted too easily.”

Ah. Stephen smiled, and politely gave Wong the middle finger. He watched his younger brother stand up as he played his video game. He was very invested in it, and the sorcerer found it amusing.

He had one more stop to make. Stephen glanced toward the exit, and he told Victor that he planned to talk to Clea. Mentioning that made Victor pause his game.

He didn’t comment, or ask any nosy questions. His baby brother just told him to say hello on his behalf, and then they said their goodbyes.

Stephen felt better about his brother. Wong was an asshole, but Stephen felt at ease when he left the Sanctum. Things seemed good with his sister, and he did his best to help the situation with Tony and Steve.

Stephen thought it was a good time to do something for himself, so he scanned the dimension for Clea. He finally summoned up enough guts to talk to her.

His last attempt failed miserably, and now he was a walking nerve box. He located and followed her energy, and realized that she was in a peculiar place. It was busy, and Stephen saw all sorts of creatures. He even saw things that looked almost human.

He decided to put his Halloween costume on, and slowly look around. Something Wong said started ringing a bell, but that guy could go to hell.

Stephen stopped abruptly when he saw Clea, and he immediately forgot what he was doing. He just froze up, and blankly stared at her. She was leaving some white building. Clea was alone, and heading directly toward him. 

She knew that he was there, and she slowly walked up to the Sorcerer Supreme. Clea smiled, and she asked him why he didn’t show up.

Show up? Show up where? Stephen was confused, but he also didn’t want to talk about stuff like that. He forgot how to speak, of course, so he just kept standing there.

“What happened?”

Clea noticed something about Stephen. It took her a moment, but she slowly brought her hand toward his face. He sucked in a quick breath, because she ran her thumb just underneath his right eye.

She looked at her hand, and determined that he had blood on his face. He had a few small drops of blood on his face from the Winter Soldier. Stephen didn’t notice that it was still there, and apparently no one else did either.

Only Clea picked up on the discrepancy, because she knew that face very well. The ruler of the Dark Dimension wanted to kiss her husband, so she brought that face in close.

She gently kissed his lips, and felt him warm up beneath her hand. She had to stop, and study his behavior a little longer. Stephen forgot to answer her question, so he quickly recovered and cleared his throat.

“You are supposed to attend these meetings, and update Uatu on your dimension. Has no one told you?”

She didn’t think that Stephen had any guidance. She wondered what the Ancient One was doing, because he seemed very lost when it came to his responsibilities.

Stephen was a little zoned out. He listened to her speak, and started thinking about what he wanted to say to her. He was very much in love with Clea, and the poor guy couldn’t set himself straight. 

“I’m.. I’ll work on that, later. I was hoping we could talk. Talk about...”

About the two of them. Not about mystical, multi-dimensional, weird stuff. Stephen wanted to say that very badly, but for some reason he got all choked up.

Clea waited for Stephen. She stood in front of him, and waited for him to finish his thought. It seemed like he was struggling, and she didn’t understand why. 

“Are you busy tomorrow? I was thinking that you could spend some time with my sister. Donna is a bit of an expert on, stuff... so I need her help. Are you free?”

Stephen wasn’t sure if that made sense for Clea. He was used to the relationship that he tried to build with Christine Palmer, and what he tried to accomplish  with Tony. 

The interactions he had with those two left him feeling somewhat rejected, and he was afraid that it would continue. Was Clea free? She kept an undivided focus on Stephen, and she slowly nodded her head yes. 

She could be free for him at any point, all he had to do was ask.  
  


* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	93. Sister (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 93: Sister (Part 3)

* * *

Steve kept sitting all on his lonesome. He quickly looked up when Tony walked out of their bedroom, and he tried to appear as if he wasn’t freaking out.

He didn’t fool Tony, but the brunette didn’t say anything about it. He just sat down beside Steve, and he looked at that honey blonde skin.

Steve still spent some time covering his face, and he tried to exhale all the stress that he felt. He felt incredibly stupid about his behavior in the quinjet, and he was contemplating how to make up for it.

The two of them moved a little closer, and Steve quietly said hello.

“Ello, Steve.”

Tony’s tone was playful, and he started messing around with one of Steve’s hands. They even locked their legs together, and it looked like they were practically sitting in the same exact seat.

Tony always did that. He’d somehow twirl himself all around Steve, and the soldier formed a giant smile.

“How are you?”

Steve was still pretty quiet, and Tony responded with a small sigh. Let’s see... how was he?

“Pretty good, even tho some whacko has seen me naked.”

Steve’s smile got a little bigger, but the comment also made him want to sulk. It was the oddest feeling, but Steve was glad that Tony was in good spirits.

“You know, he definitely enjoyed the show. I would have.”

Because Steve Rogers was a sexy beast. Tony stuck his tongue out a little as he thought over what that whacko saw in their space. He wasn’t as bothered as before, but he wondered if they were still on display.

The technology that Stephen described didn’t seem to be that easy to remove. He trusted the mighty wizard tho, so Tony let it go.

Steve was the one that wouldn’t let any of it go. He smiled for a short while, but then he went back to his sulk fest. Tony didn’t want that, so he kept trying to pull him out of it.

“How long were you with your older self?”

Steve reached toward Tony, and he started touching the right side of his chest. He gently squeezed Tony’s muscle, because it had changed quite a bit. Baby Tony bulked up, and Steve was pointing it out.

Tony looked down at his hand, and he gave a playful laugh. He was happy to comment on how sexy he looked.

“You finally noticed my new beefcake body? It only took me six months to build it.”

Plus a suit, and a musical extravaganza. Baby Tony finished everything that he was stuck on, and now he was home with his boo. That blonde held a sweet smile, and he laughed about the beefcake thing.

Steve noticed it right away, he displayed how it made him feel in the quinjet. He didn’t like losing control like that, so he quietly gave Tony an apology about his behavior.

Steve felt bad about what he said, and what he did, but Tony only brushed it off. He liked what happened, and he didn’t take Steve’s words to heart. The blonde was showing that he cared, but one thing was certain.

“You’re not going to stop me from helping out. I want to fight beside you, so get used to it.”

And that was that. End. Of. Story. Tony quietly chuckled, and he started kissing right below Steve’s ear. That soldier boy opened up a little more in his seat, and it just made Tony move in closer.

He felt so warm. Steve got himself so worked up, and he started imagining some cold bedsheets in his future. He somehow thought that Tony would leave the apartment, or break up with him over that whole mess.

Stephen Strange was right. Steve finally realized how insecure he could be. He tried not to dwell on it, as Tony continued kissing his skin.

“Did you have sandwiches with Stephen, while I was gone?”

Tony needed to know, before Stephen returned. That change in the subject matter really made Steve sit up. Huh? Sandwiches? Oh dear..

The blonde looked away for a moment, and then he looked into those sharp eyes.

“No. Was I supposed to?”

Steve wasn’t clear on that. He tried to get to know Stephen because he wanted Tony to be happy. The Sorcerer Supreme intrigued him, so Steve was down for sandwiches, and possibly something more.

That whole thing was throwing Steve for a loop, so he waited for Tony to respond. A different expression started forming on Tony’s face. He started thinking about the beautiful woman that he saw, and the whole idea of Steve being with someone else.

Stephen was a sly devil. Tony knew exactly what that mystical pain in the ass was up to. He kept looking at Steve, and he finally decided to confess.

“No, you weren’t. Stephen doesn’t get to have sandwiches with you.”

Steve Rogers and his sandwiches were off limits. There. Tony felt a little stupid, so he looked away. He started looking upward, because that whacko could still be watching their sappy shit. Steve became confused immediately. Hold up.

He tried to get Tony to look in his direction again. Say what now? The soldier boy was perplexed.

“I thought you wanted that.”

“I changed my mind.”

Tony Stark was very greedy. He thought about how greedy he was, and he went back to kissing that yummy skin. He still loved Stephen. Tony understood that he would always love his stupid jerk face, and maintain a deep connection with him.

But, as for Steve? Tony secretly told himself that he was always connected to him, in that life or the next.

The time and place didn’t matter, he was always meant to intersect with him. If he left that life, Tony figured out that he would just find him somewhere else.

His super greedy older self explained that to him. Dimensions didn’t even matter, because you truly can’t stop a Stark. Tony kept thinking about that, as Steve started asking for clarification.

“Tony, what does that even mean? Why have you changed your mind?”

The adorable questions made Tony hide his face. Steve wanted details, but those didn’t really matter. Tony waited a moment, then he just pulled his lips away from that skin. He looked at Steve, and gave him the easiest response that he could muster.

“Because, there is no one but you. Cheesy and simple.”

Tony didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He had a feeling that Stephen was returning to the apartment. The brunette was correct, because the newbie-sorcerer had a strict plan.

He wanted to spend time with his family and friends, because he finally asked Clea to actually marry him. In Stephen’s mind, fully committing to Clea meant that he was leaving his old life behind him.

Stephen did the mental math. He knew that he could not maintain his old life any longer. He was trying to hold onto it for as long as he could, but marrying Clea was the final step.

It meant he would see his family less, and that was very difficult for him. It felt like he was saying goodbye. The sorcerer confessed that to Tony and Steve, and that was why he wanted to stay with them that evening.

The three of them spoke about it when he returned, then they spent the rest of the night binge-watching stupid movies, and listening to the music that Tony created.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	94. Sister (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 94: Sister (Part 4)

* * *

Steve went out on a run. It was extremely early in the morning, cold outside, and Tony wasn’t moving an inch.

There was one other person in that bed, however, and Tony could feel that perfect posture against his back. Stephen spent the night.

The three of them didn’t do anything, for once...

Tony slept in between the fraternal twins, and now he was just thinking about, stuff. He almost looked over his shoulder. It didn’t seem like Stephen was awake. Tony was thinking about how the two of them were never alone.

He had been alone with Stephen approximately.... zero times after the baby wizard randomly showed up at his parent’s house. Tony wondered how long ago that was.

Stephen was having some sort of breakdown, and he ended up leaving with Clea. That was that. Tony reflected on it, and he kept staring at Steve’s pillow. He had a feeling that the soldier boy ditched them on purpose. Steve could be really sneaky when he wanted to be..

Stephen moved his long leg, and said something quietly.

“You’re older self visits me when I sleep.”

Oh? Tony pondered what was said. It was unexpected, but interesting. The behavior of his older self was something that Tony wanted to emulate. He truly did as he pleased. Visiting Stephen in his sleep was confusing him. Baby Tony wanted to know why, and his thoughts about it were very loud.

Stephen and Tony were back-to-back, and one of them decided to flip over. Tony swallowed his nerves, and he roughly turned over on the bed.

“What does he say to you?” 

Tony had to laugh a little. Stephen slowly turned over as well, and he smiled. The two of them moved around on that bed, and then they both sorta froze up. The brunette was pondering his own behavior, and taking a trip down memory lane.

“We talk about the Mind Stone.”

“Does he hit on you?”

Hah. Tony figured that he did. Stephen held onto his sleepy smile, and he nodded his head yes a few times. The older Tony had a natural flirtation to him. His gestures and comments were very flirtatious.

The younger Tony had his moments, but he seemed a bit more reserved with his feelings.

“He does, on occasion. He says that I’m charming.”

Stephen didn’t know where he got that idea from. He started stretching his arm outward, and he studied the younger Tony’s face.

Tony was remembering how badly he wanted to be with Stephen, back in the day. The thoughts about his older self became a bit bothersome.

He never dropped what he felt. Tony just changed his mindset, and looked at it in a different way. Being alone with Stephen in that moment was harder than he thought.

Stephen just absently stared at the simple designs on the bedsheet. It had small squares on it, and they were multiple shades of blue.

The sorcerer was over-thinking what he was looking at, because he could tell that Tony was capable of hearing his thoughts.

Finally...

Tony was a slacker, and the last one to finish some sort of training. Stephen didn’t really want Tony hearing his thoughts, or his response to what Tony was thinking.

“You knew about Bucky and Steve in Kathmandu, didn’t you?”

How long ago was that? Tony only processed it once. It took Stephen a second to place the question. He looked up from the bedsheet, and stared directly at Tony’s face.

“Yes. I noticed.”

Tony let out a slow sigh. Stephen Strange could be a very frustrating person. His response made Tony instantly feel sad. He closed his eyes, and tried not to freak out.

“Why didn’t you say something to me? You just..”

He never said jack SHIT. Ever. Tony got Stephen to admit that he wanted him when they first shared a room together, but that was light years after the fact.

“I didn’t say anything, because you and Bucky seemed to be competing, over Steve.”

While he was just sort of... there. Stephen distracted himself with Victor, so he tried to ignore it. Tony was technically opening up some old wounds for him, so he drew in a slow breath.

The subject matter caused a bit of a sting. He straightened his posture, and tried to rid himself of the feeling.

“I figured you two would work it out eventually. You really cared for him, so ...why would I say anything?”

What was the point? Stephen knew when to accept defeat. He didn’t stand a chance against the fairytale prince. The sorcerer didn’t regret the time that he did manage to spend with Tony, but, Tony never really let Steve go.

What a mess. Stephen had to softly smile. Going down memory lane between the two of them was probably a bad idea. He was determined to marry Clea, and Tony had always been very committed to Steve.

Also, he finally felt like he was in a good place with his Vishanti brothers. Stephen struggled to communicate with them for a long time, so he didn’t want to upset the progress.

“Normal people say how they feel. But, you were bonkers, so I get it.”

He got it, but a part of him didn’t like it. It felt very unexplored, and painful.

“Did you also know that I felt jealous of Clea?”

Hey, they were finally talking about it, so Tony decided to just get it all out. The door seemed to be closing on his road trip adventure with Stephen, so why hold back?

Tony didn’t look at him, but he heard his response. Stephen said that he didn’t know that, but he knew exactly when he was hurting Tony.

“I saw the way I was treating you, at your parents house. I reversed the clock, and saw everything.”

He hooked up with Tony, and brushed him off immediately. Stephen had a bad habit of quickly moving onto the next thing. It wasn’t intentional, but he also couldn’t help it.

That habit wasn’t going to go away. Stephen started thinking that his behavior was only going to increase. He had too much to constantly process, so he could only make a mental note of it on that bed.

“Can you forgive me for doing that?”

“Hurrrmhhhh, I’ll let it slide. You can slide only one time, but that’s it. Wiz.”

Tony moved a little closer to him. He was in the mood to snuggle, but it was just in a friendly way. The sorcerer accepted that small advance, and he looked down at Tony’s crazy hair.

It seemed like they both did their fair share of not seeing one another. Stephen wasn’t sure where to go from there, but he liked what he had going on with Tony and Steve. He didn’t have a lot of friends, so it felt good to share some space with them.

“Dooooo youuu forgive me? For uhhh, for never letting go of Steve?”

Tony felt like he was just some gigantic prune face liar. He seduced Stephen by telling him a friggen lie. It ate at Tony’s soul, but no one’s perfect. The brunette inwardly crucified himself for all of that, and Stephen just gave a playful sigh.

“I can’t forgive you, sorry.”

What?? Tony quickly jerked his head up and he looked at that obnoxious face. He believed Stephen, until he saw a very smug grin. His grin was cute, but Tony wanted to kick him in the gut.

They both heard the only morning person open the door to the apartment. Steve was finished with his run, and officially in the house. The three of them discussed something the night before, and Steve really wasn’t happy about it.

They both knew that he was in a bad mood. Steve walked into the bedroom, and Tony immediately tried to hide beneath the bedsheet.

Tony was in some boiling hot water with Steve. He asserted himself as a “field agent”, and made plans with Nick Fury.

Tony agreed to speak with the “White Jackal” that morning, and Steve was all kinds of fired up. Stephen was in the middle of their squabble, but it amused him to see the two of them argue.

It felt like an intense love-fueled rivalry was developing between them. Steve had his views on the matter, but Tony would shoot them down. Then, Steve would throw him a curveball comeback, and Tony would duck and hide.

Stephen couldn’t get enough of their noise.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. 


	95. Sister (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 95: Sister (Part 5)

* * *

Donna was getting ready for her day. Bucky already left, and she heard him meet up with the fellows next door.

She thought that she heard her brother’s voice amongst the men, but she chose not to interact with them. Donna wasn’t in the mood for it that morning.

Bucky told her that he’d be back after a big meeting. That was all well and good. The young woman went about her day, and did not expect a knock on the front door. She heard it clearly, but thought that her mind was playing tricks.

Donna was brushing her teeth when she heard someone knock again. She became very confused. Donna walked out toward the door with her toothbrush in hand, and she checked to see who it was.

“What the..”

Donna quickly unlocked and opened the door to the apartment, and she stared blankly at the person outside her new home. Stephen’s “wife” was standing there, and it made the sister blink a dozen times.

“Stephen said that you lived here.”

“Uh, yeah. I do.”

Donna looked down the hallway. The door to Steve’s place was closed. Vacant. The men had left. The sister put the toothbrush back in her mouth, and she told Clea that she could come in.

The ruler of the Dark Dimension was unfamiliar with everything that she was seeing. Humans had such tiny things. She thought about it as she looked around.

Clea wanted to touch everything. She walked into the apartment, and she picked up the first thing that was in her arms reach.

“What are these?”

Donna snapped her focus back toward her random visitor. She looked at what was in her hand, and watched Clea inspect it.

“Those are called keys. You use them to unlock doors.”

Did they not have doors in the Dark Dimension? Donna had to wonder. Clea put the keys back where she found them, and she decided to express her thought.

“Humans have every little thing planned out. Something fits in every inch of space.”

Clea noticed it back at the Sanctorum. She asked Stephen about a few things, and he told her what they were.

The concept of a wall was even foreign to her. She had seen “walls” often when she left her dimension, but it was mainly seen when she interacted with humans.

Clea had become too quiet. She let go of her fascination, and she looked over at Stephen’s sister. The concept of a “sister” was also foreign.

Donna was very confused. She needed to spit her toothpaste out into the sink, but she wasn’t sure why Clea was standing in the entryway. It baffled her, but she was glad to finally see her.

“Stephen says that you owe him a favor. He wants the two of us to plan a wedding ceremony.”

A WHAT?! Donna almost choked on her toothpaste. She put her hand up for a second and walked into the guest bathroom. Her ears had to have been broken. She told herself that she did not hear the words that were just said.

She didn’t “owe” Stephen a favor. That favor was not earned! Donna was in disbelief, but not surprised by her brother at all. That behavior was typical for Stephen.

She rinsed the toothpaste out of her mouth, and she made her way back toward Clea. Clarification was mandatory.

“Ok. Clea, right? I thought you were already married to Stephen.”

“We are married, yes. But, he wants a traditional ceremony done here.”

Clea wanted to understand his world much more than Stephen thought. The young ruler also wanted to split up her time, and her responsibilities between the two worlds.

She wanted to truly be with Stephen, and the look on Donna’s face concerned her.

“Are you married to the man that lives here?”

Clea saw Bucky in the hallway. He apparently shared the same space with Donna, so she became curious. The young woman seemed shocked by the question. She wasn’t married to James. Being married was very removed from her mindset.

“No, we.. we are dating. Dating and living together.”

Her parents would be pissed, but Donna didn’t care. Clea didn’t understand the word “dating”but she let it go. Her focus changed to the little houseplant that was by the window. It was very quaint and cute. Clea wondered if it could speak.

Donna noticed the odd looking expression on Clea’s face, and she tried to process her favor once again.

Planning a wedding wasn’t a bad idea, because their parents needed to know that STEPHEN’S RUDE FACE had gotten married. Donna looked at what Clea was currently wearing, and decided to go from there.

“So, let’s start with this. Tell me about what you’ve got on your body. That outfit doesn’t look like clothing at all..”

Her clothes were weird, and almost surreal. Clea pulled her focus from the plant, and she glanced down at her body. She had a thin layer of matter covering her skin, and it was a mixture of black and light purple.

“I just create it. I think about it, and I form it over my skin. It’s made out of energy, and dark material from my dimension.”

“Ok. That’s... somewhat normal. Sure. So, I gather that you like the color purple?”

Donna pointed at the main shade of the peculiar garment, and Clea softly smiled. Yes. She liked that color very much. She thought it was beautiful.

“Well that’s our starting point. I’m going to get dressed, and then we can go dress shopping. Sound good?”

Dress shopping was a very strange phrase for Clea. She looked a little confused with what she heard, but she decided not to comment.

Donna left to get ready for her day, and she thought over the wedding dress. Clea had the ability to form it herself, so they could piece together something unique after they looked around.

She pondered all the details of a wedding as she got dressed, then an excitement began to spark within Donna Strange.

* * *

Chapter: END 

Thanks for reading.


	96. Starchild (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 96: Starchild (Part 1)

* * *

Tony and his entourage arrived at the Seagate Penitentiary. It was a maximum security prison located in the state of Georgia, and very intimidating to look at.  


The walls were very tall. Everything was dull and grey, and Tony could seriously feel the “justice” vibes looming over his head.

They followed a man named Phil Coulson. He greeted them and mentioned that Nick Fury was called away to New Mexico.

Groovy. Tony was currently dealing with two things. He was about to have an epic conversation with a person that was most likely a psychopath, while Steve Rogers was moody.

He wasn’t really talking to anyone, and visibly angry about the situation. They were butting heads, and Tony wanted to calm him down before he shared a room with the White Jackal.

The opportunity to accomplish that was not panning out. He was being escorted into the prison, and his small team went with him in case they needed to kill someone.

Bucky, Stephen, and Steve planned to be in the other room with Agent Coulson. Steve wanted to see everything, and he mentioned that he could not be in the same room as the Jackal.

Steve would probably break him in half.... so....

Tony’s body was scanned, and he was about to go through several more checks and security tests. It was maximum security, super-police ...stuff. Tony was out of his element, and he thought it was a pretty trippy place.

He was about to be separated from his crew, but he saw a bathroom. HOLD UP. Tony looked over at Steve, and he made a quick declaration.

“GOTTA PEE. He needs to help.”

Tony dragged that blonde into the bathroom, and he left the group in his dust. One of them rolled his eyes, while another gave a short laugh. Phil Coulson was very confused. He was left to wonder because Tony needed to put that angry soldier boy on ice.

He dragged him into the bathroom, and actually pushed Steve toward the dull wall. It woke Steve up, in a sense, and he quietly gasped.

“Stop being mad.”

Steve was a lot of things, but in his opinion he wasn’t “mad”. He just didn’t want that creep talking to Tony. He didn’t want him looking at Tony, or being anywhere near him.

Steve wasn’t getting his way, and he was inwardly processing that. Tony took a moment to study that body. Steve remained against the wall, but he was all tensed up.

Brooding. Moody. MAD. Tony took a leap, and he stepped toward that blonde. The situation was a first for them. He had been challenging Steve, and they both were sorta riding the waves.

He stepped close, and that blonde immediately started touching his arms. That small gesture evolved, and the two of them started pressing and melting together.

Steve knew that he was insecure, and possessive. He was discovering those hidden traits because he used to go without so many things.

It felt like everything he gained could disappear in an instant, so the soldier held on tight.

Tony started kissing that moody face. It suddenly felt hot in there for them both, and they just let everything go. Those two started kissing and necking around in the bathroom of some friggen super prison, and they didn’t give a damn if anyone walked in.

Steve had to feel him. He had to kiss Tony and tell him that he didn’t want the Jackal near him. Steve’s inward thoughts were violent, because he thought about hurting him if he touched Tony again.

Their behavior was getting too heated. Tony started backing out of it. They had to put it on ice, for now.

Whoaaaaa boy. Tony gripped Steve’s shirt, and he quietly told him that they could get back to it later.

He told his boyfriend that he could do whatever he wanted to him when they got home. It was mandatory, because they both had some frustration to work out. Tony’s words weren’t helping. The soldier’s body was getting pretty amped up.

Tony tried to ease him out of it, and calm him down. Ahhhhhhh he got Steve all riled up, and the unwind was a whole other process. Tony went over toward the sink, and he turned the water on. He had to splash some water on his own face, but what’s done is done.

Outside the restroom, Bucky and Stephen tried to play it cool. Phil Coulson asked why they needed to enter the bathroom together, and neither of them felt like explaining.

Actually, Bucky took the opportunity to fuck with Tony’s reputation, and Stephen just enjoyed the moment.

“Oh, Tony actually can’t use the restroom on his own. His mommy and daddy have always had someone else do it for him. Normally his butler is with him...”

Not today. Darn. The look on Phil’s face truly made Bucky’s day. Stephen quietly laughed at what was said, and he crossed his arms. It took the lovebirds an eternity to return. 

Their public behavior always baffled Stephen, but he moved on.

Tony and Steve just permanently stopped looking at one another. Steve was officially the invisible man. They stood on opposite sides of the large hallway. No way. Phil Coulson recovered from what he was told, and escorted Tony away from the pack.

Tony was oblivious to the comment Bucky made, but Phil kept giving him weird looks. He didn’t think the bathroom thing was that odd, but ...Tony grew up in a bit of a bubble.

His behavior with Steve was “normal” for him, so whatever. Bucky could choke.

Tony was taken through extra security, while Steve walked into the surveillance room. Steve saw a person from the past in the room.

Charles Xavier was there to observe. Steve gave him only a small wave of acknowledgment, but that was it. His mood had not changed at all. He walked in quietly, and he stood by a giant window.

When he looked through that window, he could see the White Jackal being escorted toward a table. He was chained up like a dog, and Steve was good with that.

He said nothing to the others in the room, and he quietly watched the Jackal take a seat.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	97. Starchild (Part 2)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 97: Starchild (Part 2)

* * *

Tony actually could take a piss on his own. Bucky wasn’t that aware of his abilities, but he was about to find out just how slick Tony truly was with his charm.

His mouth, and choice of words could get him out of any mess. Or pretty much get him anything that his greedy heart wanted.

Baby Tony was barely aware of his own skills. He simply walked through that door, and they all watched the White Jackal sit up straight. His focus was locked onto Tony immediately, and the brunette was very conscious of that.

He walked right on in, and moved his chair toward the side of the table. It put him dangerously close to the Jackal, and Steve made an exhausted sound.

He was already bothered, but he could only stand there and watch.

“Nice jumpsuit.”

Just kidding. Puke green was a horrible color. Tony commented on the prison clothing that number N8-5403 was wearing. His inmate number was displayed over his left arm, and Tony made a note of it.

He also made a note of the shape of his eyes. Tony figured out who he was reminded of, and it made him feel a little ill.

“Thank you for speaking with me. I didn’t think you would.”

“I’m gunna call you copycat. Sound good? I heard that you’re all about code names.”

The nickname “copycat” caused an immediate eyebrow twitch. The Jackal hated the nickname, and he felt insulted. Tony was aware of it, but he maintained his uninterested tone.

He adjusted in his uncomfortable chair, and slowly smiled at the spawn of Satan.

“So, what’s up? Are you looking for some funding?”

Funding? The Jackal was bothered, and also confused. It didn’t seem like Tony actually wanted to speak with him, and he didn’t understand what he meant.

“Funding?”

“Yes, funding. Did you show yourself to me for some funding? Do you need some money for your little science project?”

Is that what that was? Tony had to wonder. The technology that he saw was interesting, but destructible. Steve cracked that baby open like a goose egg.

Tony was not impressed, and his body language was disinterested. The Jackal sat up a little more, and he leaned a bit in Tony’s direction.

“I don’t need any funding. I revealed myself to you because I had to see it. I needed to see it up close.”

“Right. And now you are stuck in here. Not a good plan.”

Crappy plan, actually. Tony understood the need to see his suit. But to risk prison time for such a small taste? That didn’t really register with Tony Stark.

But, he had to acknowledge who he was dealing with. He studied the facial features of the Jackal, and he became a little more engaged.

“Being in prison is what you’re used to, aren’t you? I was informed about your wonderful life before this.”

Tony couldn’t imagine being stuck in one room, running code and trafficking other humans on a Wednesday. The Jackal did not respond to any of Tony’s comments.

He only listened to his latest question, and he thought about a few things.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone that you found me in Brooklyn?”

Tony was trying to bring the Jackal toward some sort of light. He didn’t have to do that, but after listening to what he was doing all his life, Tony saw it as way to help others.

He thought he could crack the goose egg even further, and really understand what made the copycat tick. The Jackal pondered Tony’s question, and he glanced over at the giant window.

He could only see their reflections on the glass. He didn’t answer again, but his mind was full of thoughts.

“I have a theory. It might be a stretch, but I think you didn’t tell anyone because you enjoyed what you saw. Was that a glimpse of freedom for you?”

Did the Jackal want his own apartment in Brooklyn? With his own partner to share a life with? Tony had to wonder again, and he studied that face.

The Jackal remained quiet for a few minutes. He felt a little uncomfortable, but he didn’t want Tony to leave. He stared at the silver table, and finally spoke out his thought. He remembered the moment he found Tony in Brooklyn.

“I watched you create that translucent armor. It was glowing like the sun. You were also making music, and I became very fixated. Fascinated, I guess. You can say obsessed. I couldn’t tell anyone what I saw.”

Tony sat back a bit and he gave that window a quick glance. He didn’t expect the guy to say something like that, so he quickly rolled onto another question.

“So copycat, why was I taken out of Stark Industries? That was you, wasn’t it?”

“My father gave that order. You have to understand that it was very liberating for me to watch him die. I don’t think I had ever experienced that much joy.”

Obidiah’s face was blown in half. The White Jackal cherished the moment, and Tony’s anxiety started picking up a little. The conversation was taking a dark turn, and he was determined to take it back toward some level of light.

“Right. Well, he’s dead and gone, and now his evil empire belongs to you. What do you plan to do with it?”

That was the bottom line that everyone wanted to get to. The White Jackal was physically taken into custody, but the dark web he was part of was still going strong.

It didn’t stop with the death of anyone, it only seemed to grow.

“I enjoyed watching my father die, because he was a fool. He made too many stupid moves.”

The young man that sat in the room with Tony didn’t plan to make such stupid mistakes. He was planning on doing what he knew best, and continuing to make his mark all over the black market.

Tony could tell that he was losing him. It seemed like his fixated copycat was slipping off into a dark place. Tony read the room, and he did something unexpected.

He touched the Jackal’s hand, and it seemed to pull him out of a mini-coma.

“Do you know why I made that armor? The one that glows?”

Tony pulled his own hand back toward him, and he set it in his lap. He was already in hot water with Steve, and he didn’t want him thinking that he was flirting.

Tony just understood that the guy was fascinated with him, and he decided to use it to his advantage. He started sitting differently, and it started feeling like a dangerous game.

The Jackal just kept staring at the top of his hand. He processed the question, and he slowly looked up at Tony. He assumed Tony made the armor to protect himself.

That’s what armor is for, right? To protect what is within.

“At first, I made it to hide myself. I started manipulating energy, and I thought I got it all wrong. It was translucent, and I couldn’t hide. I still can’t really wear it, because I can be seen from within.”

Tony felt a little weird talking about it, but he didn’t show that armor off to anyone. Only Steve saw the armor in its complete state, and now the White Jackal.

Uhhh, why did he bring that up? Tony felt like he was getting sidetracked, so he focused and re-grouped.

“My point with all that is, that..it seems like you were trying to help me hide. You didn’t want me being sold off to work in some dark technology sweatshop. Right?”

Was he reading that correctly? Tony felt like he was. He started staring at the copycat, and he noticed that he was a bit more engaged. He logged out of the chat for a while there, but now he was back.

The Jackal wasn’t sure if Tony was right. He hadn’t really thought about it. Now the thought was in his mind, and he started thinking that it was possible.

“You could see that I was happy in Brooklyn, right? And ...you would like to copy that too?”

Tony wanted that to be the reason, but he saw the young man pull back. The Jackal wasn’t sure why he did anything, so he decided to pull away.

He said that he didn’t want to hear anything more, and asked the guard to take him out. Tony sat with his thoughts for a while, and then he left the room himself.

He was taken into the room with the others, and it was pretty quiet in there. Tony’s eyes locked onto that bright yellow go-cart immediately.   


Charles Xavier looked up at Tony. He said nothing out loud, but he told him that he would be taking over and handling things with the White Jackal.

Groovy. Tony didn’t respond to what he heard in his mind, and he just focused on his small entourage. The four of them left the penitentiary, and that silence kept looming.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	98. Starchild (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 98: Starchild (Part 3)

* * *

“What about your parents? Are they invited to this wedding ceremony?”

Donna and Clea were eating lunch. They stopped at a small deli. The food confused Clea, but she watched how Donna was eating.

She had taken a few bites out of a “sandwich”. Clea thought that it was the most peculiar thing she had ever seen. It came paired with something called “chips”, and Clea enjoyed the crunch.

She ate more of those. The sandwich was too complicated for her, and she was left puzzled.

Her parents?

“My mother is not allowed to come here. She is banished in many realms, and I do not see her getting along with Stephen.”

She didn’t want them interacting. Clea knew that her mother would try to kill him, and Stephen was still learning how to be the Sorcerer Supreme.

Donna sipped her iced tea, and she studied Clea’s behavior. It didn’t seem like she even had FOOD where she came from. It was seriously weird.

“And as for my father, he already saw me marry Stephen. He wouldn’t understand a second ceremony at all. In fact, it might insult him.”

Stephen didn’t need to know that. Clea didn’t think it really mattered. She crunched on some more chips and she smiled at Donna.

Uhh, she had something to say about the father thing.

“Your father has to be there. He has to sorta... give you away to Stephen. Father of the bride? He is supposed to walk you down the aisle.”

Donna already explained bits and pieces of a traditional ceremony. The father-daughter thing was supposed to be important. Donna felt like it was.

Clea listened to what was said, but she formed her own opinion. Her relationship with her father was very different than Donna’s. She didn’t know that, but she decided to share what she felt.

“I didn’t know my father that well growing up. He has already seen my wedding, and I can walk myself down an aisle.”

Clea did not need to be “given away”. She made the decision to marry Stephen, and she felt like she could stand on her own two feet. She didn’t like that part of the ceremony, and she wanted it to be removed.

“I will walk on my own.”

“Oh wow. Uhh, ok. You’re gonna walk yourself down the aisle. Got it.”

That made Donna scratch her head a little. Stephen’s “traditional” wedding was just as bonkers as he was. Donna had to ask another question, and she actually started taking notes.

“Did he even give you a ring? You’re supposed to have an engagement ring, or a wedding ring right here.”

She pointed toward Clea’s left hand. She watched Stephen’s “wife” blink her eyes several times. She did not have a ring of any sort. She held up her left hand, so Donna could see that there was nothing there.

“Christ. I’m going to kick his ass when I see him.”

What kind of shit wedding is she supposed to plan???? Donna reminded herself to inhale, because all she managed to do was exhale fire and brimstone.

No ring. No parents. What else? The good luck objects were a must have for a traditional wedding. It was SUPPOSED to give the bride good luck.

Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. Those things were very important, and Donna had a feeling that those two didn’t have jack shit.

“Do you have anything old that represents your past life?”

Anything old? Clea looked up from the pickle in her sandwich. She was trying to figure out what it was, and her face was a bit scrunched up.

The pickle was green and slimy, and she found it to be distasteful. She tried to pick it out of the food, but the question made her look up.

“I have no possessions, or a past life.”

What a peculiar question. Clea was puzzled by that tradition as well. Donna exhaled very loudly. She almost screamed. The sister started saying that the traditional wedding was clearly out of the picture, and she needed to find Stephen immediately.

She was beyond being frustrated, and ready to bite his stupid head off.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	99. Starchild (Part 4)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 99: Starchild (Part 4)

* * *

  
Stephen’s energy was being tracked down. Donna became insistent, and luckily Clea knew how to feel around for his energy.

They caught him returning to Steve and Tony’s apartment. He seemed to be just hanging out with the boys, and the sister almost lost her cool.

Bucky was there with them, so she controlled herself. She didn’t want to flip out on her jerk of a brother, and cause a scene.

She saw all four men in the apartment hallway, and she delicately asked to speak to Stephen.

He was already standing right in front of Clea. Stephen was looking at his “wife”, and asking her questions about her day. Donna was not in the mood for his shit.

She stepped toward her brother and asked him to focus. Uhhh, hello?

The rest of the group decided to leave. They did not want to be in the middle of that mess. Steve and Tony disappeared, while Bucky slipped away toward his own apartment.

He inwardly wished Stephen some good luck, and then he retreated to his own territory. Stephen kept looking at Clea. He noticed that she changed her clothing. He thought she looked beautiful, and he almost mentioned it.

He didn’t do that, because some NOISE beside him wouldn’t quit. Stephen’s eyes began to sharpen as he looked over at his precious sister.

“She doesn’t even have a ring. How the hell am I supposed to plan a wedding for the two of you. Just call mom and dad, and tell them you are married.”

That’s it. No more pressure, and no more un-traditional wedding. Stephen maintained his irritated expression. He didn’t understand the problem...

He would not be calling his mother and father and telling them that. Stephen refused to tell them anything of the sort over the phone.

“It could just be something simple. Don’t have a cow, Donna..”

Stephen went back to looking at Clea. The young ruler noticed that he kept looking in her direction, and it made her smile and glance around. It was getting all cute and fluffy in that apartment hallway, and Donna crossed her arms.

“Weddings are not simple, Stephen. Do you have a priest in mind? Or a location? When is this happening? How many people?”

Hello? It didn’t seem like her brother was mentally present on planet earth. She seriously waved her hand furiously in front of his face, because he kept gawking at his pretty little wifey.

“We can find a priest. The wedding can take place at the Sanctorum. It can happen before the week is out, and I don’t want too many people there.”

Stephen answered those pesky questions and he tried to focus on his sister. He just missed Clea, and having her around in that moment felt a little like torture.

“I thought a wedding would help you two get to know each other. If it’s too complicated, just make it simple.”

Stephen was too preoccupied to really think it through, and he really needed Donna’s help. He just wanted to have a place where he could be with Clea, and the wedding thing kept returning to his mind.

He kept focusing on his sister. Her jaw was wide open, and she was processing what he said. He could tell how frustrated she was, so he tried to lighten the burden on her mind.

“I will tell our parents that they need to get here before the week is out...”

Their parents had never been to New York before, but that was too damn bad. They needed to make the trip, and see the lives that their children were trying to make for themselves.

They weren’t going to be told everything, but you get the idea. Donna and Stephen came to an agreement, and all of that wedding stuff kept getting discussed out in the hallway.

Tony and Steve were dealing with something completely different in their apartment. Steve had been moody and angry all day, but after Tony’s conversation happened with the Jackal, he sorta changed his tune.

Tony was thinking about the personal freedom that he thought he always lacked. His perspective on that had changed after he spoke to someone that was literally living in a mental prison for a couple decades.

They both had a ton of shit to process, and Tony felt like showering. Steve playfully asked if he could shower with him.

UHM yeah. Tony didn’t hesitate at all, and he told him yes. The water was at the perfect temp, so Tony kept running it over his face. 

He soaked his hair entirely, and thought that his brain was acting weird. Tony slowly rubbed his face with both of his hands. He felt those yummy arms wrap around him, but the brunette didn’t look up.

Tony felt the oddest sensation in his mind at that moment, and he couldn’t properly explain it. Steve asked him why he was quiet.

Tony said that he didn’t know. The brunette also said that his head felt weird, but then the feeling instantly went away. It felt like ...a glimpse? He saw a glimpse of, what? Done. Gone. Weird.

He tried to let it go, and he sank into those strong arms. Tony turned around in the shower, and he started kissing on that blonde body.

Steve’s mood had improved, so Tony figured it’d be stupid not to take advantage.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. Only 4 more luvs.


	100. Starchild (Part 5)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 100: Starchild (Part 5)

* * *

The older Tony was allowed into the realm of light. He looked around Agamotto’s happy place, and he migrated toward a familiar energy.

Tony saw his main man up ahead, and he smiled. That blonde had become way too busy, and Tony was really starting to miss his face.

He saw the older Steve turn around, and they abruptly greeted each other. They both wanted to say hello at the exact same time.

That was a first. Tony held a grin, while Steve continued with his usual greeting.

“Been here long?”

No. Tony heard Steve explain that he just arrived from a different quadrant. See, that was the thing with Steve friggen perfect face Rogers. The guy does one person a favor and then all of a sudden he was helping out every single person out in the cosmos.

It was just like his old apartment back in Brooklyn. Steve would have some time for himself but what would he do?

Tony reflected on it, as he ventured further into the realm with him. He remembered how Steve would get coerced into helping every damn neighbor that he had.

He’d move plants, carry huge laundry loads, help people move, or even fix a door.

Thinking about it made the older Tony feel pretty uplifted. Steve hadn’t changed one bit. Now he was telling him about helping some “Starlord”, and a bunch of other space people out there.

Steve asked him if he had encountered him. He told Tony that he was human.

Nope. Tony mainly interacted with individuals that wanted to murder him and take the Infinity Stones. He didn’t really get a chance to mingle. The two of them stopped where they felt Stephen’s energy, and they noticed a familiar place.

The temple had changed. Tony and Steve were looking at the home that Clea and Stephen had been living in for, how long?

Who knew. With those two, they could have been living there for centuries. The temple was altered to look like the house in Nebraska where Stephen grew up.

He ignored the home back on earth, but when he lived there with Clea, it started feeling right for him. That’s what the actual Sorcerer Supreme explained when he finally revealed himself to Tony and Steve.

Big Stephen emerged from the home, and he had a small smile on his face. He looked...

Tony kept hovering over that beautiful porch. He stared at Stephen, and he noted the way he looked. He was so...

Aww, Tony couldn’t finish his thought. A little one was hiding behind Stephen’s leg. Stephen was a father now, and Tony couldn’t stop looking at that precious little thing.

He assumed it was a little girl. She poked her head out a bit, because she wanted to see Tony and Steve.

“Look at that Starchild. Oh my goodness.”

Tony playfully gasped, because she was the cutest thing ever. Steve was dying, because children and babies were one of his favorite things in the entire world. The soldier was a sucker for them, and he was the first one to move in closer.

Stephen glanced down by his leg. His daughter stood just above his knee, and he was obsessed with her.

Clea joined them on the porch. She said hello to the only two people that were allowed into the realm. Tony and Steve had no idea that they were on a VIP list, but they were also the only ones that got to see that beautiful little girl.

Her hair and complexion was fair, like her mother, but those eyes were sharp. Those eyes could cut a fool in two, just like her father. Tony looked at Stephen again, and the word he stumbled with before became clear to him.

Stephen Strange was a very powerful man. Handsome, lethal, and strong. Tony was glad to know him, but he would always be the Doctor Douchebag Wizard Pizza Supreme in his mind.

That was never gonna change. The little girl was showing more of herself, and Tony asked her what her name was.

That baby Starchild looked at her father. It seemed like she had already developed a deep trust with him, and he was the first person that she looked for.

Tony wondered if she felt lost in that moment, or afraid. She kept looking at Stephen for some sort of direction.

“Her name is Donna.”

Ah. Tony smiled at the name, and he watched her sleepy little face. She pressed it against Stephen’s leg, and she held it tight.

Steve was still dying. He was very beside himself, and going down a few lanes of memory. Tony went down a similar path, and he remembered his own daughter.

His squish machine was all grown up, and living a completely different life without him.

Stephen and Clea’s little Starchild was fighting sleep. Clea mentioned that she was going to take her in a minute, but they felt ready to show her off.

Tony kept looking at her. She had a bit of a glow to her skin. He wondered if it had something to do with Agamotto. He left all of those questions up for a discussion later, because Stephen also wanted to speak to them.

Before the little girl was taken into the house, Clea picked her up, and she got a closer look at Tony and Steve.

Her eyes were pretty mesmerizing. Tony looked into them for just a moment. When he did, he felt the oddest sensation in his mind, and he couldn’t properly explain it.

She smiled at Tony, and she started reaching out for him. He instinctively reached out for her as well.

Tony gently touched her squishy arm, and his head suddenly felt weird. He drew his hand back, and the feeling instantly went away. It felt like ...a glimpse? He saw a glimpse of, what? Done. Gone. Weird.

The Starchild kept smiling. She was taken into the house, and Stephen remained on the porch. He said that he planned to return to “work” soon, but he wasn’t sure when.

Steve said that he could have all the time in the world. He was in no rush to separate Stephen from his baby girl. She seemed very attached to him, and Stephen mentioned that she was four.

Four-years-old, and ready to run around and cause mischief. He looked very happy.

Tony pulled himself out of the weird state he was in, and he took notice of Stephen’s demeanor. They spoke to him on the porch for a long time.

Tony felt compelled to tell him about what happened with the little one. He tried to tell him twice, but his thoughts about it couldn’t reach his mouth.

He figured it had to be part of the Mind Stone mystery, or all part of the Never-Ending Why.

Why did that happen? Why didn’t he say anything? Why didn’t they notice? What was the point of all of it? The question Why never ends.

Tony thought about that as he finally headed home with Steve. It felt like it had been an eternity, but the two of them were finally in the same orbit. Steve asked him if he was hungry, and of course Tony had to quietly laugh.

They took a detour, because Steve never friggen changed. He wanted a sandwich, and Tony did not object. He slowly looked over at his main man as he ordered some food for them to take home.

Two sandwiches. Bread, May & Mus, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Turkey, and Cheese.

Uhnnnff... Tony wanted to bite his sexy neck, but he waited patiently in the sandwich line instead. It felt really good to be there with him.   


Tony kept thinking about that, and he ended up resting his head against Steve’s shoulder.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	101. The Never-Ending Why (Part 1)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 101: The Never-Ending Why (Part 1)

* * *

Baby Tony was being escorted into his very own office. It was a pretty big moment for him, and he excitedly walked beside his shiny new secretary.

It was a bright young woman named Pepper Potts. Tony stared at her for a moment. She was very beautiful. He noticed that she seemed a bit uncomfortable.

He wondered why. She talked a lot about Stark Industries, but Tony’s mind started buzzing, and he looked around his new digs.

His father really made it look cool. He planned to toss him a paper airplane or something, because his office was just down the hall.

Pepper mentioned that she made him some documents that were meant to get him up to speed. Pepper was very unaware that Tony had no intention of actually working for Stark Industries.

He had a plan established with his father. The office was a cover, but Tony’s “job” was to weed out the rest of the rats.

He planned to do that by annoying the board members, and snooping around. She stood there, in her beautiful office attire, and she tried to hand him some heavy looking papers.

Tony stared at all the papers in her arms. It kinda felt like she was trying to pass this extremely heavy burden onto him, and he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

He didn’t like the idea of her handing him things. It actually caused some anxiety to rise up beneath Tony’s skin.

“Uhh, that can go in the bin beside the desk.”

Yes. That was perfect. Tony glanced over at the trash bin, and then he started looking at his father’s art choices.

Really? It was ....

“Picnic art? No way. This is gone. I need it to leave.”

Pronto. He couldn’t look at his father’s idea of zen. It was gross and it made Tony scratch his head. He wondered what time it was, and what Steve was doing.

“Uhm.. Mr. Stark?”

Pepper’s voice seemed calm, but she was already done with Howard’s son. She watched him look around, and she wondered if they would have a conversation about the company.

WHOA. Tony processed the “Mr.Stark” thing, and he shrieked. He felt like he aged a hundred years, and he immediately climbed up on the large cabinet.

He started taking the picnic art down. There was no way in hell he was having something so boring in his space. Pepper kinda yelled out, because his behavior was very unexpected.

~~~—-~~~

In that same moment, Steve Rogers was dodging a sea of gunfire. He jumped over a vehicle, and he concealed himself beside it. He was catching up with Bucky, and the two of them took a minute to regroup.

Bucky was beside the tire of the vehicle, and he was expecting Steve to join him.

They both looked beneath and tried to figure out where their enemy was hiding.

“I don’t think bullets matter today. We should probably just rush him.”

“Clothesline?”

Bucky needed to be crystal clear on Steve’s plan. They were trying to take down someone that seemed asamplified as they were. That enhancement was becoming more and more common.

Steve gave the clothesline comment a quick laugh, and he confirmed that it was a good plan. Bucky read the signal for go, and he opened fire on their target.

That gave Steve the chance to make his running leap, and the opportunity for him to run the man down.

It was fun to watch, but something else was going on amongst all the chaos. Explosions were being set off on purpose, and Bucky started catching on.

Someone else was doing things behind the scenes, and taking advantage of Steve’s advance on his target. Bucky caught a glimpse of the person before she was able to flee.

Someone with red hair began to retreat. He caught her arm, but he was unable to hold any sort of grip.

She immediately knocked him back, and she looked a little startled. The woman said something that sounded Russian, but Bucky didn’t have a clue what she said.

She repeated it, and then asked him a question. She asked him “what happened” in English, and Bucky became very confused. She was speaking to him as if she knew him.

He gave her no response, so she immediately pulled something from her belt. Bucky quickly covered his eyes, because the object discharged. The flash was blinding, and it felt like his eyes were on fire. She was gone before he could blink. 

Bucky sat down where he was, and told Steve that he had technically been hit. He couldn’t see, and Steve told him to stay put.  


~~~—-~~~

Our third hero was washing his hands. He was washing them thoroughly because he had just undergone his first field test back at school. Stephen was in the medical wing of his university, and getting ready to leave.

It was only a little nerve-wracking to watch someone operate, and being unable to really intervene. Stephen’s role was to assist the surgeon that he was assigned to, but he noticed that the man’s hands had a shake.

Stephen didn’t know if his questions and comments made the man nervous, or if he drank too much coffee that day. Either way, Stephen wanted to cut the assistant part out of the entire thing.

He was told that he could be arrogant, but whatever.

Stephen gathered his things, and he started heading toward the garage. On his way, he heard a voice that he had left behind. It was the “Wednesday” that never happened, Christine Palmer. 

Stephen smiled at her as she commented on what he did in the surgery room. A handful of the students watched the surgery, and they were required to take notes. Some students took issue with Stephen being able to jump back into assisting, because he had been absent for so long.

Christine wasn’t one of those people. She recognized Stephen’s skill, and she never commented like the rest. She spoke to him every now and then, and she always brought up the fact that he never picked her up.

He just disappeared on her, and he wasn’t really ready to tell her why. Stephen kept his distance when he returned, but now the situation was very different.

Christine had her shot, but Stephen was with someone else. His dream girl wasn’t with him at the moment, but he was going to marry her before the week was out. That week was almost out so, sorry not sorry.

Donna had every little detail arranged, and Stephen moved back into his old place. He wanted to build a life with her in Manhattan, and budget their time together between the two dimensions.

Did Christine Palmer need to know that information? Stephen figured that he should tell her something. He always wanted to be with Christine, and he tried his best.

The truth was she never loved him, and she always kept him at arms reach. The kiss was always on the cheek, and her first instinct was usually a playful no. Stephen accepted that, and he decided to just let it go.

They were friends. Colleagues. That was it. She told him to drive safe, and he said that he never did. Stephen left Christine in the garage, and he drove north to pick up Victor.

They were going to pick up their parents together, then meet up with Donna for a pretty interesting dinner.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.


	102. The Never-Ending Why (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning. Very explicit chapter.

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 102: The Never-Ending Why (Part 2)

* * *

Tony set his keys in the bowl, and heslowly removed his jacket. He could see Steve messing around with his duffel bag. The blonde was sitting over on the couch.

He had a towel around his neck, and some crispy clean clothes over that skin.

Tony stepped out of his designer shoes, and he walked over toward that blondie. Steve was digging around for something, or unpacking his work stuff.

He was pretty quiet, so Tony kept looking at him. Steve’s body language was ....

Different. It was familiarly, different. Tony was reminded of the smaller summer boy that he met back, when? 1992.

Tony watched him for a bit, and that blonde looked up at him. He looked sad and his shoulders we pulled a bit inward. Steve’s body seemed smaller, so Tony kept quiet.

It was back in 1992. Tony remembered it was a few months after his parents “died” their poser death. He met Steve at the X-Mansion, but his body was small.

“Bucky got injured this morning. He’s going to be fine, it’s just..”

Upsetting was the word that rang a couple bells in Steve’s head. He was fixing the laces on one of his boots, but in reality he was just fiddling around. Bucky almost being blinded had brought out some anxiety in Steve, so he was doing something very random.

Tony calculated that he had known Steve for five years. Five years had quickly passed because of all that Vishanti stuff. He listened to what he said about Bucky, and he slowly sat down beside him.

Bucky was fine, so Tony didn’t really react. He knew that punk bastard was going to haunt him for centuries, so...

Tony tried to focus, because Steve kept talking. He was saying something about a woman that obviously knew the other version of Bucky. She was identified, and Steve mentioned her name.

Tony was mainly focused on how his body was behaving. He was acting exactly like he did when they first met. His voice was even a bit different. It felt like Tony was talking to the smaller Steve, and a smile emerged.

He hadn’t spoken to or seen a trace of the smaller Steve in five years. So... hello. It was exciting for Tony.

Steve noticed his behavior, and he started feeling a little nervous. He was very unaware of the change in his own demeanor, so he just kept explaining what he knew.

“She goes by the Black Widow. But, her real name is either Natasha Romanoff, Romanov, or a dozen others.”

Bucky was lucky she didn’t blow his face off. He was recovering back at the base, but Steve became too restless to stick around. He went home, showered, and thought about food.

Tony being home made him feel better, but he thought the brunette was acting strange. Steve attempted to change the subject, and he asked him how his first day went at work.

Tony kept thinking about when the smaller Steve kissed him. It was very unexpected, but too adorable to forget. It was their first kiss, and it seemed like Steve was going to pass out.

He watched that body move around. Steve went back to fiddling around with his duffel bag, and he asked Tony something else. He sounded just like that nervous summer boy, so Tony took away what he had in his hands.

He kissed that blushing blonde, and it reminded Tony of that moment in the lab immediately. Steve even squirmed around in the same fashion. He was a bit shocked by Tony’s advance, but he gave into it right away.

He didn’t know why Tony was kissing him like that, but he liked it, and he started heating up. That towel around his neck was even removed, and Steve started acting even more flustered.

“Wha.. that’s.”

Steve wanted to say some sort of words, but he was silenced by another kiss. Tony moved in a little further, and he pressed his tongue in slowly against Steve’s.

He pulled the same move on him, like before, and he wondered if Steve would catch on. His body still seemed smaller, and his behavior was nothing like the Steve Rogers that he interacted with all the time.

That Steve would have already had him flipped. This one was behaving like he was about to have an asthma attack. Nervous. Ruffled. Fucking cute.

Tony wanted to do some very devious things, and he inwardly thanked that Romanov woman for blowing shit up in Bucky’s smug face.

The injury to Steve’s BFF brought back a deep vulnerability, and Tony got the chance to kiss Steve in his smaller state.

It was crazy, but Tony knew Steve was mentally back in his smaller frame. He unbuttoned that clean shirt, and he started kissing and biting at Steve’s burning hot neck. That behavior really got things between them mixing up.

Steve’s body was freaking out. Tony was all over him, and the two of them started sinking into that couch.

Tony was on top of Steve at that point, and it didn’t seem like he was gonna quit. Steve asked about what got into Tony a couple times, but the brunette wasn’t giving him any hints.

He just silenced him with another kiss, and he glanced over at their bedroom door. He wanted to keep Steve in that state. He had to have him feeling the “jitters” or whatever the slang was from the 1930s.

Tony asked him to get undressed. He said that he’d be right back, and he slowly migrated his way off of Steve. The blonde was very perplexed. They were kissing and getting all grindy on one another, and suddenly Tony was up and gone.

Get undressed? Steve’s red face got even redder. He looked down at his clothing. His shirt was a disheveled mess, and Tony unbuttoned his pants at some point.

Steve didn’t even notice. He felt like he could just kick his pants off his legs, but his thoughts weren’t matching the size of his frame. He glanced in the direction where Tony went, and he finished unbuttoning his jeans.

Steve removed them, underwear and all, and he hesitated with the rest of his shirt. He didn’t realize why, but he gave it a few seconds of thought. His bleach white socks were still on his feet. Steve looked at them, and he slowly swallowed when Tony returned.

Tony wasn’t dressed any longer. It made Steve’s eyes stretch open. He tried to ask him another question, but the brunette removed the rest of Steve’s clothes.

He kept those jitters going for sure, because Tony eventually climbed his way through those honey blonde legs. The advance on the smaller Steve continued, and it left him with so many questions.

Tony wanted to fuck him, hard. But he was afraid that it was a bit too much for the young man that he met back in 1992. Tony thought about asking him, but he held off for the moment.

He decided to pop open the lid to their lubricant, and he started pouring some of it into his right hand. Steve closed his eyes, because that hand slipped down below his waist. Tony started touching him, and pleasing that sensitive skin.

It made Steve gasp out, but also alter the way he took in a breath. He had to remember that he no longer had asthma, so he didn’t need to worry about his body freaking out how it used to.

Now his body freaked out in other ways, but Steve’s mind was solely focused on Tony’s hand. The brunette had it coated with lube, he worked his hand over Steve’s length.

It felt too good for Steve. He didn’t know what he did to put Tony in the mood he was in, but the blonde stop trying to figure it out. He started moving his hips, and he asked Tony to stroke himself too.

He made it a beg. He begged Tony to stroke them together. Steve liked shit like that, so Tony smiled and moved around Steve’s yummy thigh. He gave him what he wanted, and brought that cock up against his.

The slicked up skin rubbed up on Steve’s. It made that summer boy arch up. He was hard, up quick, and still wondering what he did. Tony heard him moan, and it made him suck in a sharp breath.

He brought his other hand lower. He told Steve that he had to fuck him, and the blonde forced the question why.

Why was Tony in that mood? He needed to know, but his dick was getting pumped. He friggen squirmed the question out, but his brunette ignored what was said. He started prepping Steve open. That lube was being worked in with his other hand.

Steve’s eyes closed again, and he started moving further into that couch. Tony was being very dominant in that moment, and Steve didn’t want to resist. He wanted his ass forced open, and he might have even said it out loud.

The summer boy wasn’t sure, but the thought was there. Tony’s boiling hot body was there too, and Steve started getting loud.

Tony flipped him over on that couch, and their usual roles seemed to reverse. They both knew what they liked, and how they both liked to fuck. Now they both really felt it, and they seemed to emulate, or imitate one another.

Tony started fucking Steve, and made him feel how it always felt. He heard that blonde almost screaming beneath him, and that shit gave him such a rush.

Steve curved his body and gave Tony the perfect shot. He was spread wide, and giving into every single thrust. Steve wanted to feel split in two, and he knew exactly why Tony wanted his dick constantly.

That greedy little thing wanted it almost every damn day, and Steve was feeling the elation in his chest. Tony slid his cock in deep, and Steve had to chew on the arm of the couch. It was making him feel open, wanted, and seen.

He kept gasping against their couch. His open mouth was all over it, until he told Tony to keep going. It made Steve almost melt. He was losing his grip on everything beneath him.

He just wanted his ass to stay right where it was, and those hands to grip him just like they were. Over and over Tony pumped into Steve, and drilled that blonde like he owned him.

He did. Steve felt that way, and he knew that Tony felt the same. The greedy brunette always told him filthy things about being only his. Steve was always flattered by it, but in that moment he understood.

He started repeating the filthy things that Tony always told him, and it sparked something that Steve hadn’t really felt.

It was very rough and getting crazy on that couch. Tony was blazing hot, and looking up toward the ceiling. He started blaming Hoggoth for some of it. It felt like he joined in.

He needed to fill that beautiful ass entirely. The deep need for that was quickly growing. Tony kept licking out, as he rolled that aroused cock in. Hearing Steve beg for dick was making Tony sweat, so he kept slamming into that skin.

Steve said that he needed the towel. Tony was delirious, but he watched Steve find that towel, and bring it up against his own cock.

Steve’s hips started quickly jerking forward. He was spilling out all over his brand new towel, and telling Tony to keep fucking him. That ass was still ready, so Tony slipped back into his mood. He felt what that soldier boy always felt.

Steve would pound his ass for days, and Tony loved every second of it. He thought of that, and filled that hole till he burst. Steve was spreading for it even more. They both kept moving, and forcing it all to continue. That towel was very needed, but neither of them could process for shit.

Tony started slowing down, but he wondered if Steve still felt small. He began to doubt it, because he didn’t flinch when Tony gently bit on his shoulder blade.

That blonde didn’t move an inch.

* * *

Chapter: END

Thanks for reading. One more.


	103. The Never-Ending Why (Part 3)

The Never-Ending Why: Chapter 103: The Never-Ending Why (Part 3)

* * *

Stephen picked his parents up at the airport. He could tell that his father absolutely hated being in the city.

Well, that was too damn bad.

Stephen pretended like he didn’t notice his father’s discomfort as they sat through traffic. He got them to the Sanctorum a hundred years later, and he could tell that his mother was exhausted.

“This place is ...”

Spooky. That was the only descriptive word that worked for Eugene Strange. Victor wanted to give them the grand tour. He was very excited to be a “Mystic Consultant” and his father almost asked him if he was using drugs.

Stephen heard his thought, and he contemplated his plan. He ate a meal with his entire family, and felt ready to break the news to them about Clea.

He was drinking something down, and he felt a rush of energy coming straight from BROOKLYN. Stephen almost choked where he sat. 

He started coughing and leaning a little forward. Every single person at that table looked up from their meal. Even Donna freaked, because she was a bit preoccupied with her thoughts.

She knew about Bucky, and she was pretty worried. Stephen choking on his drink made her snap out of it, but he started saying that he was fine.

Christ. He internally thought that Tony and Steve needed to be studied. He wanted to take a garden hose to them both right in that moment. He wiped his mouth, and finally changed the subject.

Stephen was ready to move onto the next thing, so he just spoke his mind as his family went back to eating.

“I’m getting married here tomorrow. Donna already arranged everything.”

There. He told his parents. Stephen looked down at his plate, and he thought that he heard a few forks drop. A chair moved. Stephen heard it screech a bit over the wood.

“Married? What do you mean you’re getting married?”

His mother spoke up first. Victor was holding in every ounce of his breath. He kept looking around at everyone in his family. The youngest Strange was going to freak out. It kinda felt like the tea kettle was boiling and just about to make that piercing sound.

“I mentioned that I met someone, and we are getting married. Tomorrow.”

Stephen gently shot his eyebrows upward, and he politely smiled. Donna was just about to smack his face, but their father asked him if he was joking. Stephen wasn’t joking at all, and those two started locking horns.

Oh shit. Donna and Victor looked at one another. They both wanted to hide underneath the table. Stephen said that they were invited to the wedding, and they thought their father was going to explode.

I mean... Stephen was naturally icy when he spoke. The combination of his tone, and the subject matter really made the dinner hard to swallow. Their mother looked like she was about to pass out. 

Their firstborn angel of a son couldn’t possibly be getting married. Donna held a glare at her wonderful brother. She wanted to tell them that HE WAS ALREADY FRIGGEN MARRIED.

“You are getting married to who? Where is this person you are marrying, Stephen?”

Their mother was in complete disbelief. She was truly beside herself with what she was hearing. Stephen said only one thing. He looked at his mother and he politely gave her his answer.

“Her name is Clea. She will be here tomorrow.”

His mother heard that, but she said that she needed to lay down. Wait, she had more questions. The mother could not make up her mind, or properly think.

“Where? How did you meet her? Why isn’t she here?”

The questions just started pouring out. The news was too much for their mother to process. Stephen acknowledged that, and he answered the questions as he ate his food.

“I met her when I was doing a different type of training. I’d say it was more spiritual, Victor was there. He might agree.”

Stephen looked over at his younger brother. Victor’s eyes were opened wide, and he gulped. He didn’t want to be dragged into any part of that conversation.

Stephen was determined to make it nonchalant. In his mind, the marriage wasn’t that big of a deal.

“She’s not here right now, because she commutes. I plan to move her into the apartment in Manhattan.”

Oh gawd. Their mother seemed very overwhelmed with what she heard. Donna expected that, but Stephen’s behavior was typical. Their father said that he had heard enough. 

He told Stephen that some woman better not interfere with his residency. Eugene said that it sounded like a total mess, but it was a mess that Stephen would have to live with.

Wong wasn’t around, for once, so Stephen watched his parents head to one of the guest rooms. The upset energy left with them, and Stephen continued eating. 

It was time to get things rolling. He didn’t have time to stall out a confession. Donna threw her fork at Stephen. She yelled the word “seriously” at her brother, but he wasn’t pulled out of his thoughts.

“It will be fine. They’ll either love her, or hate her. I don’t care.”

None of that mattered to him, because Clea would fix everything. He tried to ignore Tony and Steve’s whirlpool of energy, but it was getting very difficult.  


Stephen told himself that he just had to get through one more night, then his entire focus was going to shift toward his dream girl.  
  


~~~—-~~~ 

That night went very well for Tony and Steve. They didn’t have to worry about any parental stuff. Tony’s parents weren’t all up in his shit.

They just didn’t want him to die, so...

Tony was thinking about that for some reason. He was putting on a sharp outfit, and glancing over at that handsome blonde.

Their Vishanti brother was getting hitched, again. They were told that it was probably going to be the smallest wedding that they ever attended.

That was kinda expected, because Stephen had what? Two friends? Possibly three. Tony wondered if Bucky was on the VIP list. They met up with him on their way to the Sanctum.

His eyes had recovered. They looked a little sore, but Tony thought it was hardly noticeable. He told Bucky that he should get injured more often, but he didn’t tell him why.

Steve almost pushed Tony for saying that, but he didn’t. He gently laughed at those two instead, because Bucky didn’t take his comment without saying something back.

The two brunette’s squabbled all the way to Greenwich Village. Steve ignored them, and he kept thinking about ... stuff.

Tony’s behavior was on his mind. Steve still felt a rush in his chest, because he really liked what they did. He forgot that they were headed to Stephen’s, so he told himself to clean up his thoughts.

Steve checked back into the world he was in, and he heard Bucky tell Tony to “zip it.” The blonde ignored them some more, and he brought his hand up to knock on the giant Sanctorum door.

It opened up before he could knock. Stephen opened it quickly, because he knew that his friends were there. He glared at Steve as he stood in the door, and then he migrated that cold stare toward Tony.

Uhh.. Tony kinda grinned back. He playfully waved at Stephen, but the glare continued.

“You two are ridiculous.”

Stephen still wanted to hose them off right where they stood. They were at it all friggen night. He knew ... that they knew... what he knew.

Tony and Steve felt scolded, and they kept looking off in odd directions. Bucky rolled his un-blind eyes, and he walked around them. He stepped up toward the door, and he started looking for Donna.

Bucky wasn’t sure if her parents were going to try to kill him, but oh well, he was ready for it. Stephen let him pass, and he told the other two to control themselves. He had to give those two a very stern warning.

“No public encounters in here whatsoever. Do not touch each other under this roof. I don’t think you two should even look at one another. NO EYE CONTACT.”

HAH. Tony seriously laughed. That jerk wizard was on some sort of high horse. Tony looked up toward Stephen, and he playfully started looking over at Steve.

Tony could tell that he wanted some more.. He started thinking about how receptive Steve was, and it was making him warm up. Stephen still seemed to have his serious pants on when he spoke up again.

“One strike Tony, and you’re taking a one way trip.”

Stephen was not in the mood for their horny bullshit. Tony would only get one chance with him, and the sorcerer meant it. Steve had a small smile on his face, but he didn’t plan on pushing any buttons.

They followed Stephen into the Sanctorum, and Steve looked at that beautiful family. Donna had some small flower arrangements all set up.

It was evenly decorated with white and soft purple. Steve actually thought about sketching the decorations. He stepped toward Tony, and the two of them just observed.

Tony started noticing how happy Stephen looked. He wasn’t gonna mess up his wedding. The brunette started watching him interact with Victor, and he remembered the way things were for the older Stephen.

Every single person in that family moment was dead, except the one standing in the middle. That thought haunted Tony for just a moment, and he forced himself to glance over at Steve.

“No eye contact. Remember?”

Steve quietly mentioned one of Stephen’s demands. The sexy soldier boy wanted to comply, and Tony had to laugh again. Dawww... he stopped being immature for half a second, because he saw Bucky talking to Donna’s father.

Bucky obviously had balls of steel. He genuinely did not hesitate with Donna’s parents. That person officially owned up to his own shit. Tony kinda admired that. KINDA.

He tried to look at Steve again. He wanted to risk his one strike, and he almost brought his hand in close. No touching. No eye contact. No public encounter.

What a boring wedding. HAH. Tony’s devious nature started picking up, until some mini-wedding stuff started happening by those stairs. Whoa.. Tony tuned in, and he noticed that his father and mother were there.

He waved at his parents. It was always a trip for Tony to randomly see his mom and dad. They had a mutual connection so, it made sense.

The small gathering of people got a little too quiet. Tony started feeling nervous. He almost gasped. Shit started getting real.

Clea walked over from one of the guest bedrooms, and she actually made Tony’s jaw drop. He still hated her, but she really took his breath away in that moment.

Stephen was just.... gone. Already thinking about his honeymoon. Not present. Bye. He could not stop staring at her, and it was very apparent that he was in love.

His parents could see that immediately, but some preacher dude killed the vibe.

Tony finally processed what was happening. A friggen wedding was happening right in front of his face. He remembered going to some boring weddings when he was a kid, but what he presently saw made him feel very different.

Victor even had a baby purple bow tie. It was the cutest thing Tony had ever seen. He sucked in a slow breath, and the words he heard started reaching his head.

That preacher person kept talking, and Tony really started tuning in. It made him look....

Uhhmaaa...

Tony started focusing more toward his left. He swallowed a nerve or two, and he looked over at Steve. The blonde was listening to every word.

He was taking in everything, and feeling very moved. Steve started shifting toward his right, and he quickly glanced in Tony’s direction.

That eye contact abruptly happened, and it made Steve nervous. He started thinking about his older self.

Tony was thinking about something similar, and he couldn’t really help himself. He leaned a bit more toward Steve, and their hands almost touched.

They heard Stephen up there, and the preacher saying something about, “as long as you both shall live.”

Clea’s voice was finally heard. She repeated what was said, and it all became a bit overwhelming. She said, as long as WE both shall live, and Tony lost his focus entirely.

He kept thinking about some sneaky comments that his older self always said. He always alluded to being with the older Steve, but he never admitted that they were married.

Big Tony told him that Steve was worth the wait, and that they were always together.

Even when they’re not together, they were “always together”. That shit never made sense to Baby Tony. Always together as in, physically around one another, or MARRIED? He bit his lip, and he kept thinking it through.

Donna Strange started noticing some movement in the small crowd. The vows were exchanged, but her focus was drawn over toward another couple in the group.

Stephen and Clea sealed the deal with their kiss, but Donna noticed two other people pulling the same shit. She gasped in a deep breath, because it seemed like her brother’s wedding was hijacked by his stupid friends.

She almost screamed with what she saw. They stole Stephen’s wedding, and suddenly disappeared. She looked around to see if anyone else noticed.

All eyes were on Clea Strange. She was being bombarded with questions, and noise...

Donna looked over at her brother. He was not focused on anything else whatsoever, so she brought her rage over toward someone else in the room. The quietest one was standing off to the side.

Bucky smiled at Donna, and he heard her ask if he noticed what Steve and Tony did. They stole Stephen’s wedding, and she wanted to make that known.

“Yup. He’s completely flipped his lid.”

Steve had “flipped his lid” over that unruly brunette ages ago. His attraction to Tony never seemed to cease.   


He always thought that they were abnormal, and obsessed with each other, so Bucky just let it ride.

* * *

Story: END

Thanks so much for reading. If you’ve read the complete story, I sincerely thank you.

Let me know what you thought, and take care out there.


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